Princess Diana 1991 Time Capsule Unearthed London Cancer Centre

A time capsule buried by Princess Diana in 1991 beneath Great Ormond Street Hospital's Variety Club Building has been unearthed during construction of a new children's cancer centre. Intended to remain buried for hundreds of years, the lead-encased wooden box contained ten items selected by two children who won a Blue Peter competition, representing life in the 1990s. Among the contents were a Kylie Minogue CD, a solar-powered calculator, a Casio pocket TV, a snowflake hologram, British coins, tree seeds, a European passport, recycled paper, a photo of Princess Diana, and a copy of The Times newspaper from the burial date. Princess Diana, who became president of the hospital in 1989, helped the children choose the items before her death in 1997. Although some items suffered moisture damage, they remained largely intact and provided a nostalgic insight into 1990s England and its technology. Staff members who were born or employed at the hospital in 1991 participated in the capsule's removal, reflecting on its historical and emotional significance.