Candle in the Wind: The Story Behind the Iconic Song

Twenty years ago, Elton John moved the nation to tears with his poignant rendition of Candle In The Wind, a reworked version of his 1973 hit song, which he dedicated to Princess Diana.

The song went on to become the second biggest single of all time, with 33 million copies sold worldwide.

But what is the story behind the lyrics?

Here, we reveal all.

Elton John originally recorded the single in 1973 in honor of Marilyn Monroe, who had died 11 years earlier.

However, after his close friend Diana died in a Paris car crash in 1997, Elton teamed up with songwriting partner Bernie Taupin and asked him to revise the lyrics to honor the princess.

The song was recorded at Townhouse Studios in West London and was re-released as Candle in the Wind 1997.

Elton has only ever performed the single once, at Princess Diana's Westminster Abbey funeral, and instead uses the original version at concerts.

He has repeatedly turned down requests to perform the tribute again and said he never would unless asked by Princess William and Harry.

The single became the fastest-selling single in the UK, selling 658,000 copies on its first day of release, and over 1.5 million in its first week.

It is widely regarded as the best-selling single in the world, but there is confusion due to a lack of information on sales for the record's main contender for the number one spot, Bing Crosby's recording of White Christmas.

The opening lines of the 1973 version, “Goodbye Norma Jean, Though I Never Knew You At All,” were adapted to “Goodbye England's Rose, May You Ever Grow In Our Hearts.”

All the lyrics were changed to reflect the princess' life after her tragic death.

In the original, the lyrics reflected Marilyn Monroe's turbulent life, which was cut short when she was aged just 36.

However, Candle In The Wind was kept as the title after Taupin was inspired by the phrase when he heard someone use it to describe Janis Joplin, who died of a heroin overdose in 1970.

Elton was plunged into a period of shock after Diana was killed in the crash in Paris on August 31, 1997, just one month before he had been comforted by the princess at the funeral for close friend, Italian designer Gianni Versace.

Diana and Elton had been friends since 1981 when he performed at Prince Andrew's 21st birthday party at Windsor Castle and received a thank you letter from the then 19-year-old Diana.

After her death, he was asked by the family to write a tribute for Diana, which he performed at her funeral on September 6, 1997, at Westminster Abbey.

The singer revealed that playing Candle In The Wind at her funeral was surreal.

He added, “What was going through my mind was don't sing a wrong note, be stoic, don't break down and just do it to the best you can possibly do it without showing any emotion whatsoever, my heart was beating quite a lot, I have to say.”

Prince Harry has since revealed that listening to Elton performing the song was like someone firing an arrow through his emotional defences.

The prince said he was determined not to cry in public but the song brought him to the brink.

He said in an interview for BBC1 documentary Diana, Seven Days, “Elton's song was incredibly emotional and nearly brought me to the point of crying in public, which I'm glad I didn't do.”

Harry said that time changed him but he still cannot cry in public.

Princess Diana was laid to rest on September 6, 1997, exactly a week after her horror car crash in Paris.

As many as 2,000 people attended the ceremony in Westminster Abbey, where her coffin was brought on a gun carriage from Kensington Palace.

Although it was not an official state funeral, a full deployment of royal pageantry characterised the sombre ceremony, as the coffin made the 1 hour 47 minutes journey from Kensington Palace to Westminster Abbey.

Distraught young Princess William and Harry walked behind along with Prince Charles, Prince Philip and Diana's brother Earl Charles Spencer.

The streets were lined with more than 1 million people, many of whom laid flowers along the procession route which passed Buckingham Palace, where the Queen was seen bowing her head.

The coffin arrived for the beginning of the funeral ceremony in Westminster Abbey at 11 am, where mourners included the entire royal family, all living former Prime Ministers, and dozens of celebrity friends.

George Carey, the then Archbishop of Canterbury, led the service, while Charles Spencer read the eulogy in which he criticised the royal family for their treatment of her.

As many as 30 million viewers witnessed the ceremony on TV.