Quick Summary

A time capsule buried by Princess Diana in 1991 at Great Ormond Street Hospital has been unearthed. Inside were early ’90s relics, including a Kylie Minogue CD, a pocket TV, coins, seeds, and a photo of Diana. The discovery highlights Diana’s lasting connection with the hospital, where she served as president until her death in 1997.

A Royal Gift From the Past Emerges

More than 30 years after her tragic death, Princess Diana’s legacy has resurfaced in an unexpected way. A time capsule she helped bury in 1991 at London’s Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH) has been unearthed during construction of a new children’s cancer center.

Sealed in March 1991 under the foundation of the hospital’s Variety Club Building, the lead-lined wooden capsule offered a rare snapshot of early 1990s life, and a poignant reminder of the Princess of Wales’ dedication to children’s causes.

According to a press release issued by GOSH, staff who were either born in 1991 or employed there at the time of burial were invited to help remove the capsule.

What Was Inside Diana’s Capsule?

The small box contained a mix of pop culture treasures, everyday items, and symbolic keepsakes chosen by two children, Sylvia Foulkes and David Watson, who won a contest on the children’s TV show Blue Peter:

• A Kylie Minogue Rhythm of Love CD
• A European passport
• British coins
• A solar-powered calculator
• Recycled paper
• Kew Gardens tree seeds
• A snowflake hologram
• A pocket-sized television
• A current copy of The Times newspaper
• A photograph of Princess Diana
• Personal letters from Foulkes and Watson

Despite spending decades underground, most items were remarkably well-preserved, with only minimal water damage. Archivists noted that the artefacts still vividly capture a very different technological era.

Personal Reactions to the Discovery

For many at GOSH, the unsealing of the capsule felt deeply personal.

Rochana Redkar, a Clinical Fellow at the hospital’s Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, said:

“I had just joined GOSH six months before and I was so excited to be involved in the removal of the time capsule, which was buried the year I was born.”

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Janet Holmes, a Senior Health Play Specialist who worked at GOSH in 1991, said seeing the pocket TV brought back memories:

“I had bought one for my husband back in the day, for when he had a break whilst driving his coach around the country. They were very expensive then!”

Jason Dawson, GOSH’s executive director of Space and Place, oversaw the opening:

“It was quite emotional… almost like connecting with memories of things that have been planted by a generation passed by.”

Diana’s Connection to GOSH

Princess Diana served as President of Great Ormond Street Hospital from 1989 until her death in 1997. Known for her compassion and ability to connect with children, she visited frequently, often bringing along her young sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.

The time capsule symbolized her commitment to the hospital’s work and to children’s futures, a legacy that continues through GOSH’s care today.

A Royal Tradition of Time Capsules

Interestingly, Diana was not the first Princess of Wales to bury a time capsule at the hospital. In 1872, Princess Alexandra, wife of the future King Edward VII, laid the foundation stone for the old GOSH building and sealed a capsule containing a picture of Queen Victoria and a copy of The Times.

That capsule, however, has never been found.

With the unveiling of Diana’s 1991 capsule, GOSH announced plans to bury a new time capsule following the completion of the hospital’s latest renovations — a symbolic continuation of a royal tradition spanning centuries.

Why It Matters

While the capsule may seem like a charming relic, it underscores how Diana’s influence still resonates today. Each object reflected the era’s optimism, technology, and culture — and, in a sense, Diana’s wish to bridge the present with the future.

For GOSH staff, children, and Diana’s admirers, the moment was more than just historical; it was emotional, a reminder of how the “People’s Princess” continues to touch lives long after 1997.