Princess Diana’s 90s Time Capsule Unearthed: Rare Find at Great Ormond Street Hospital

Over three decades since its burial, a time capsule containing items curated by Diana, Princess of Wales, and two young children that epitomize the 1990s has been unearthed earlier than anticipated. Among the contents were a Kylie Minogue CD, a solar-powered calculator, and a passport.

In 1991, this time capsule, encased in lead-lined wood, was sealed to commemorate the foundation stone setting of the Variety Club building at Great Ormond Street hospital. The building was inaugurated in 1994, replacing outdated structures and enhancing the hospital’s clinical capabilities.

The capsule filling was a project for two young winners of a Blue Peter contest, who carefully selected 10 objects they felt represented the 1990s. The collection also included a pocket TV, a snowflake hologram, and a photograph of Princess Diana.

Though intended to be unearthed in “hundreds of years,” the capsule was excavated to accommodate the construction of a new children’s cancer center.

Princess Diana, who had been the president of the children’s hospital since 1989 and visited multiple times before her passing in 1997, assisted the children in picking items for the capsule. The Rhythm of Love album by Kylie Minogue was one of the chosen items, selected by David Watson, an 11-year-old from Paignton, Devon. His other contributions included a sheet of recycled paper and a passport.

Sylvia Foulkes, a nine-year-old from Norwich, contributed a set of British coins, a container holding five tree seeds, and the snowflake hologram.

Additionally, a copy of the Times newspaper from the day the capsule was buried featured headlines such as “Cooked meats bring out Soviet voters in droves” with a photo of Mikhail Gorbachev, and “US rejects Iraqi warplanes plea as rebels close in”.

Despite some damage, photographs released by archivists show that the contents were mostly well-preserved.

This event echoed a similar ceremony held in 1872, where Alexandra, then Princess of Wales, placed a time capsule during the foundation stone laying at the hospital. This capsule, containing a photograph of Queen Victoria, remains undiscovered.

Hospital staff born in 1991 or those working there during that year assisted in retrieving the capsule before the construction of the new cancer center began. The forthcoming facility is expected to be a significant national resource for treating childhood cancers and will support the development of gentler, more effective treatments for young patients, according to the hospital’s statement.

Six Notable Events from 1991

John Major began his term as British Prime Minister on November 29, 1990, succeeding Margaret Thatcher after her resignation. Amidst a recession in 1991 characterized by high interest rates, decreased housing prices, and rising unemployment, Major faced significant challenges. Despite scandals and his resignation as Conservative party leader in 1995, he won the subsequent leadership election and continued as both prime minister and party leader until 1997. During this time, George HW Bush was the President of the United States.

The Cold War concluded in 1991 as the Soviet Union disintegrated, ending the long-standing geopolitical tension between the US and the Soviet Union, along with their capitalist and communist allies respectively.

The First Gulf War erupted as a conflict between Iraq, under Saddam Hussein, and a coalition of 42 countries led by the United States. It began with Operation Desert Storm on January 17, 1991, with an extensive aerial bombing campaign in Iraq and concluded with the liberation of Kuwait on February 28.

Tim Berners-Lee, a British scientist, unveiled the WorldWideWeb, the first web browser, while working at the European nuclear research agency Cern in Geneva. The first website became accessible to the public on August 6, 1991.

Seatbelts became mandatory for all adult car travelers in the UK. Previously, front-seat passengers were required to wear seatbelts from 1983 and children in rear-seats from 1989.

Freddie Mercury passed away at the age of 45 in his London home on November 24, just a day after announcing his AIDS diagnosis. Following his death, Queen’s iconic song “Bohemian Rhapsody” topped the British singles chart again after 16 years on December 23, with proceeds from this re-release donated to the Terence Higgins Trust, which offers HIV-related services and campaigns against stigma and discrimination.