LOCAL COUNCIL 'HIDES' DIANA MEMORABILIA FROM ROYAL VISIT

A LOCAL COUNCIL RECENTLY HID A DISPLAY OF PRINCESS DIANA MEMORABILIA AHEAD OF A VISIT BY PRINCE CHARLES AND THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL. IT WAS A SUBTLY-ORCHESTRATED DISAPPEARING ACT, APPARENTLY DESIGNED TO SPARE ANY AWKWARDNESS FOR PRINCE CHARLES AND CAMILLA, DURING THEIR VISIT TO STOKE CIVIC CENTRE. BUT WHEN IT EMERGED THAT THE COUNCIL REMOVED THE MEMORABILIA DEPICTING CHARLES' WEDDING TO DIANA FROM A DISPLAY CABINET, IT ONLY SERVED TO ADD TO THEIR EMBARRASSMENT. A WEDDING FIGURINE AND THEMED CLOCK WERE THE ONLY ITEMS REMOVED FROM VIEW FOR 'CLEANING' THIS WEEK, LEAVING A 'GAPING HOLE' IN NEAT DISPLAYS IN THE MEMBERS' SUITE, COUNCILORS SAID YESTERDAY. THE DIANA ORNAMENTS WERE AMONG GIFTS PRESENTED TO MAYORS OVER THE YEARS, WHO HAVE THEN GIVEN THEM BACK TO THE STAFFORDSHIRE CITY TO PUT ON SHOW. STOKE CITY COUNCIL INSISTED THE ITEMS HAD BEEN TEMPORARILY REMOVED FOR CLEANING, BUT A COUNCIL WORKER ALLEGEDLY GAVE AN ALTERNATIVE REASON. COUNCILOR PAULINE JOYNSON SAID: 'I SAW THE ITEMS BEING REMOVED LAST WEDNESDAY AND SAID THEY HAD LEFT A LARGE GAP IN THE DISPLAY. WHEN I ASKED WHY I WAS TOLD IT WOULDN'T LOOK RIGHT IF THEY WERE STILL THERE WHEN PRINCE CHARLES VISITED.' JOYNSON ADDED: 'THEY DIDN'T WANT ANYTHING FEATURING DIANA IN THERE WHEN CHARLES VISITED. IT WILL HAVE BEEN SOME BUSYBODY IN THE COUNCIL THAT HAS DONE IT. I WAS OFFENDED WHEN THEY DID IT. I DON'T LIKE WHAT THEY'VE DONE HERE AT ALL. I DON'T KNOW WHO TOOK THEM OUT BUT IT WAS DEFINITELY A COUNCIL WORKER AND IT WAS JUST THE DIANA ITEMS THAT WERE TAKEN OUT. THEY SHOULDN'T BE ABLE TO REMOVE HISTORY LIKE THAT.' THE ROYAL COUPLE ARE DUE I STOKE ON TRENT LATER THIS WEEK FOR A TOUR IN CELEBRATION OF 100 YEARS OF LINKS BETWEEN SIX TOWNS IN THE AREA. VETERAN COUNCILOR MICK SALIH, WHO HAS SERVED ON THE COUNCIL FOR 15 YEARS, ADDED: 'I THINK SOMEONE HAS BEEN TOLD TO REMOVE THEM TO SPARE THE PRINCE'S EMBARRASSMENT. THEY SHOULDN'T REMOVE THINGS LIKE THAT, IT'S LIKE CENSORSHIP. SHE WAS A BIG PART OF THIS COUNTRY AND VERY MUCH A SYMBOL OF BRITAIN, WE SHOULD BE PROUD OF.' AFTER BEING CONTACTED BY LOCAL NEWSPAPERS, THE COUNCIL RETURNED THE ORNAMENTS TO THE DISPLAY.