THE QUEEN'S SPEECH
Speaking on live TV, Queen Elizabeth, wearing a black dress and pearl necklace, said no-one who knew the princess would ever forget her. "I want to pay tribute to Diana myself. She was an exceptional and gifted human being," said Her Majesty as she sat on a terrace at Buckingham Palace. "I share in your determination to cherish Diana's memory." The speech, which lasted about five minutes, touched upon Diana's "all-too-short life" and her impact upon others, and the queen said she admired and respected Diana. The queen spoke calmly and precisely, and did not shed any tears. "May those who died rest in peace and may we, each and every one of us, thank God for someone who made many, many people happy," she said, adding that the tragic death of Diana Sunday offered "a chance to show the whole world the British nation united in grief and respect."

DIANA'S WISH FOR WILLIAM
Princess Diana wanted her eldest son, the heir to the British throne, to emulate John F. Kennedy Jr. in preparing for the media spotlight, The New Yorker reports in its Sept. 15 issue. (The special edition was rushed to newsstands, the first time the venerable magazine has ever printed early to cover a breaking story.) Diana told the magazine in June that she tried to instruct 15-year-old Prince William "about the media -- the dangers, and how he must understand and handle it." Said the princess: "I think he understands. I'm hoping he'll grow up to be as smart about it as John Kennedy Jr. I want William to be able to handle things as well as John does."

ELTON JOHN AT FUNERAL
Elton John, who was comforted by Princess Diana at a memorial service in July for designer Gianni Versace, will sing at her funeral Saturday. He tells ABC News' "20/20" program that he will do all he can not to cry. The performer will sing a version of "Candle in the Wind," his musical eulogy to film legend Marilyn Monroe, whose own early death (at age 36, like Diana) has been compared to Diana's. The words will be changed in tribute to Diana. Instead of singing "Goodbye Norma Jean," John's tribute at the Westminster Abbey ceremony will begin "Goodbye England's rose." John said Diana's sister Lady Sarah McCorquodale asked him to sing.

CELEBRITIES LASH OUT
The death of Princess Diana has opened an unprecedented stream of bile toward the news media from celebrities such as Madonna, Elizabeth Taylor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, George Clooney and Tom Cruise. "The paparazzi murdered her," Taylor said in a statement. Several reports say some celebrities are teaming up to hire private investigators to probe the private lives of supermarket tabloid publishers. And California Sen. Tom Hayden, former husband of Jane Fonda, is proposing legislation that would prevent photographers from approaching closer than 50 to 100 feet from stars who are not taking part in public events. Hayden is said to have gained the support of actor Sean Penn.

JODIE FOSTER STANDS BACK
One star not joining the anti-press bandwagon is Jodie Foster, who distanced herself Thursday from fellow Hollywood celebrities calling for restrictions on paparazzi. The Yale-educated actress said she did not want to join in the debate on the Fourth Estate's role in Princess Diana's death. "Anything that I say about the media would be associated with this terrible event, and that is something that I really do not want to do," Foster said at a news conference in Tokyo. "I think it would almost trivialize it to discuss both issues at the same time, her death and the impact of the media."

EDITORS UNWELCOME
Earl Spencer, Diana's brother, told editors of British tabloid newspapers to stay away from her funeral, effectively withdrawing invitations issued by Buckingham Palace. Spencer has lashed out at tabloids for allegedly encouraging photographers who hounded Diana.

INVESTIGATION CONTINUES
Three photographers sought by French police in the investigation of the Paris car crash that killed Princess Diana have turned themselves in. Diana, her companion Dodi Al Fayed and their driver died when the car crashed at high speed while being pursued by photographers on motorcycles. Six other photographers and a motorcyclist are under investigation on possible manslaughter charges.

NEW YORK PAYS RESPECTS
The Empire State Building is glowing with the colors of the Union Jack, and a memorial service will take place Sept. 14 in Central Park -- the first such ceremony of its kind since one in 1980 for John Lennon -- as New York City pays tribute to Princess Diana. "There was a special relationship between the princess and the city of New York, and it gives New York a chance to express that," Mayor Rudolph Giuliani said.

MTV'S TRIBUTE TO DI
MTV's glitzy annual Video Music Awards turned into a tribute to Princess Diana at New York's Radio City Music Hall on Thursday night. The Spice Girls won best dance video for "Wannabe" and dedicated the award to Diana. Spice Girl Geri Halliwell said the princess had "real girl-power." Madonna, in introducing a performance by techno band Prodigy, called for an end to the "insatiable need to run after gossip." And Puff Daddy said Diana is in heaven now with Notorious B.I.G. (The rapper, also known as Biggie Small, was gunned down in March after a party in Los Angeles.) The British group Jamiroquai was the big winner of the night, walking away with best video of the year for "Virtual Insanity" and three other awards. Beck won best male video for "Devils Haircut," and Jewel won best female video for "You Were Meant For Me." Puff Daddy and The Family won best R&B video for "I'll Be Missing You," and the late Notorious B.I.G. won best rap video for "Hypnotize." Best group video went to No Doubt for "Don't Speak." Sublime won best alternative video for "What I Got." Fiona Apple won best new artist for "Sleep to Dream," and Will Smith won best video from a film for his "Men in Black."

ALBERT LOSES ROUND
An Arlington, VA, judge rejected NBC sportscaster Marv Albert's claim Thursday that sex charges against him should be dismissed because a member of the grand jury that indicted him managed the prosecutor's election campaign. Circuit Judge Benjamin N.A. Kendrick also rejected a defense motion to throw out the case because prosecutors made public DNA evidence linking Albert to a Feb. 12 hotel room incident. Albert has been charged with forcible sodomy and assault and battery for allegedly biting a woman on the back and forcing her to perform oral sex. He could get life in prison if convicted.

JIMMY STEWART'S WONDERFUL
GIFT Jimmy Stewart, the very embodiment of small-town values on the big screen, has given something back to his hometown of Indiana, PA, reports the Associated Press. Stewart, who died July 2 at age 89, left $375,000 to the Greater Indiana Endowment to use however it likes. "Just as Jimmy Stewart will live on in his great films, so will his legacy live on, doing substantial good in Indiana year after year," said the Rev. Allan Campbell, chief executive of the endowment. Stewart quietly donated $20,000 in 1991 to help start the endowment, which distributes about $15,000 a year to homeless shelters, recreation programs and various other causes in Indiana.