Diana: Actions, Reaction

Related developments Monday in the death of Princess Diana:

Hewitt on Diana--James Hewitt, the cavalry officer who had an affair with Diana, said: “I love her and will miss her terribly.” Hewitt, looking drawn and with tears in his eyes, read a statement to reporters outside his home in the Dartmoor region of southwest England, saying: “Yesterday was a day the world will never forget. I, like the rest of the country, am still in shock over the tragedy. The world has lost a very special person who touched the hearts of millions.” In a 1995 television interview, Diana confessed to the affair with Hewitt during her marriage to Prince Charles.

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Paparazzi--The German tabloid Bild-Zeitung ran a front page photograph of emergency workers trying to burrow their way into the wrecked car in which Diana and her companion, Dodi Fayed, had been riding. Bild-Zeitung, with a daily circulation of more than 4 million, declined to say how much it paid for the picture. It was taken from behind the Mercedes-Benz before the car was cut open and faintly shows occupants under the interior lights.

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Repercussions--Construction workers in Christchurch, New Zealand, assaulted a female photographer who was taking pictures at an accident scene. A fellow reporter from the Christchurch Press newspaper who witnessed the attack said workers shouted, “Didn’t you do enough, killing someone yesterday? . . . Suppose you’re getting $1,000 for this one too.” The photographer, whose name was not released, suffered neck and shoulder injuries and bruises to her face and body.

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West L.A.--A condolence book for the public to sign and express thoughts on the death of Diana will be available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through Friday in the lobby of the office building at 11766 Wilshire Blvd. that houses the British Consulate, a consulate official said. It will be similar to books open to the public in London and Washington. Angus Mackay, vice consul for press and public affairs at the consulate, said officials had decided to open a book here “partly because it’s a normal practice on sad occasions and partly because of the overwhelming response we’ve had. There’s been such an outflow of feeling by the public here that we thought everyone would appreciate having a way to express their sorrow and send their wishes to the surviving family members.” The book will be sent to the Foreign Office in London and “presumably passed by them to Buckingham Palace,” said Mackay.

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Collectors--An armor-plated Rolls-Royce used by Diana during her U.S. visits sold for $100,000 at an auction in Auburn, Ind., more than three times the price auctioneers had anticipated. An unidentified Illinois farmer offered the highest bid for the olive-green 1987 Rolls-Royce Silver Spur during bidding at a Kruse International auction, said Kruse spokeswoman Kristin McGrade. And in Hong Kong, stamp collectors rushed to snap up a 1989 commemorative issue featuring Diana, as dealers jacked up prices by hundreds of dollars. The price for a series of four sheets, each consisting of 50 stamps, surged to $1,937 from $775.