I was in my 5th grade.  Seated in the middle of the lecture room with my classmates, Ms. Balagot was not in her usual self.  Our grumpy spinster teacher was not scary, hostile and sinister that lovely morning.  Rather, teacher Balagot was smiling and seems excited.  After lecturing a couple of topics, she suddenly pulled out a big and heavy hardbound copy of a new book she personally brought from her home to school. The manuscript, covered in plastic was not the usual reference textbook but a brand new copy of a book featuring a lot of lustrous photos that she impatiently showed us.

The pictures she showed to our class featured a young beautiful bride dressed in what seem to be the longest bridal train trailing behind her gown.  She got a sparkling tiara on top of her head and was beaming with the most beautiful smile.  Teacher Balagot explained that the gorgeous lady in the pictures got married to an eloquent prince and will be the future queen.  Teacher Balagot showed every picture in the book stating the names of every royalty persons in each picture.  She pointed her finger to an old lady explaining that she is the present queen and is the mother of the groom.  She presented the pictures of the newly-wed couple riding behind their wedding wagon waving back to thousands of spectators in the street awaiting their carriage to pass by them.  Teacher Balagot after closing the glossy book further explained that the bride was the first common Englishwoman for 300 years to marry an heir to the throne.

This is my first vivid memory of Diana Spencer the Princess of Wales and people’s Queen of Hearts who died exactly thirteen years ago.

Si Ms. Balagot kaya, nasaan na?