Princess Diana’s Time Capsule Unearthed After 34 Years—And It’s Full of ‘90s Nostalgia
Avery Sinclair here, your favorite cynic with a caffeine addiction and a deep skepticism for anything labeled “royal treasure.” Let’s be real—when someone opens a time capsule from the early ‘90s, we’re not exactly expecting a plot twist. But sure, let’s all gasp like this is the first time anyone’s ever buried stuff in the ground and forgotten about it. Anyway, Princess Diana’s capsule was finally cracked open last month, and surprise, surprise—it’s full of relics that scream “I was thrown together by two kids and a TV show.”
Back in 1991, Diana—then president of Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) in London—helped two children selected by the British kids’ show *Blue Peter* choose what would go inside a lead-lined wooden box. The capsule was buried in the foundation of the hospital’s Variety Club Building, with instructions to leave it sealed for “centuries.” Of course, because bureaucracy is chaos and construction is always urgent, it was dug up in 2025—34 years later—due to upcoming renovations for a new children’s cancer center.
What did they find? A Kylie Minogue CD (because of course), a Casio pocket TV (for when you’re really committed to low-resolution drama), a copy of the *Sunday Times* from the day it was buried, a passport (no, not hers, relax), and a photo of Diana herself. Some items were water-damaged, but overall, they held up surprisingly well—unlike most of the royal family’s emotional stability over the years.
This wasn’t just a random act of nostalgia. Diana’s time capsule was actually a nod to history repeating itself—Queen Alexandra, wife of King Edward VII, did the same thing back in 1872 when the hospital was founded. Ours truly, however, was never found. So, if you’re feeling inspired and have a shovel, maybe start digging in some old palace gardens.
But wait, there’s more. Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, recently shared a throwback photo of the two of them in swimsuits, proudly displaying their swimming badges from childhood. He captioned it with a charming story about their terrifying swim instructor, Mrs. Lansdowne, who apparently handed out badges like participation trophies but only to those who survived her lessons. The pool, he said, was their summer sanctuary. Sounds wholesome—until you remember that this is the same Spencer family that later sold out their sister’s legacy for book deals and podcast appearances.
Diana’s legacy, though, remains complicated. She was a royal who didn’t play by the rules—advocating for AIDS awareness when the rest of the monarchy wouldn’t touch it with a ten-foot pole, campaigning against land mines, and speaking openly about mental health in a family that treats therapy like a curse word. Her 1995 BBC interview, where she admitted to suffering from postpartum depression and feeling unsupported, was a rare moment of honesty in a world built on pageantry and silence.
Her sons, William and Harry, have kept her mental health advocacy alive through the *Heads Together* campaign, though their own relationship has been anything but together. Meanwhile, the royal family, still licking its wounds from the media mauling after Diana’s death, eventually struck a deal with the British press to tone down the paparazzi frenzy. So now we get more curated photo ops and fewer candid shots of royals crying into their tea. Progress?
In short, the capsule was opened, the ‘90s vibes were strong, and once again, Diana proved she was ahead of her time—even when she was literally sealing it in wood and lead. But hey, at least it wasn’t full of cryptic notes predicting the future or a signed copy of *The Crown* scripts. That would’ve been too on-brand.
Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! News, NBC News
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