With a quiet turn of a key, the Diana Memorial Fountain has once more been opened to the public.
No fanfare and no royalty this time - just a handful of locals, tourists, some journalists and four stewards.
Ten months ago the Queen, members of the Royal Family and assorted relatives of Diana gathered to mark the opening of the long-planned memorial.
Within weeks the unexpectedly popular ring of water in Hyde Park was closed after three visitors slipped.
Fences were put up, stewards employed and rules enforced for its re-opening.
Then it shut again four months ago for more remedial work to improve access and drainage.
New additions include a 35mm hard-wearing rye grass turf, normally used on sports pitches, to replace existing waterlogged grass.
The resin-bonded path has also been lengthened by about 250m and metal bars put underneath the bridges to prevent debris getting trapped.
Finally, eight years after Diana died and two years after work began on her memorial, the fountain re-opened on Friday.
Margaret Tyler, 61, from Wembley, was one of the first through the gate, with a rosette and handbag emblazoned with a picture of Diana.
"This is lovely, the grass is so springy. The water represents her life - the quiet times, the busy times, the not-so busy times, and we all have times like that," she said.
"I don't think this does justice to her memory"
She intended to leave a bouquet of pink roses under a tree within the fenced area, having asked permission from the stewards.
"Pink was Diana's colour, she looked gorgeous in it," she said.
She suggested the low-key nature of the reopening, a far cry from when she attended last July and handed a bouquet to the Queen, could have been down to a lack of publicity and the general election.
While delighted with the fountain, she did have one suggestion: "I just wish there was a statue here to complete it."
Mixed reception
That view was shared by Simon Davies, who walks in the park every day.
"I don't think this does justice to her memory," he said as a trickle of people came through the gates.
"I think it is a disaster. It's not really the way I'd like to remember her.
"I'd prefer a statue with an image of her beauty, set in a garden with topiary trees, set with some style which was typically hers."
With park officials confident that there will be no further problems with the fountain, Mr Davies was less optimistic.
"It is an engineering project that is going to go wrong. It's a bit of a laughing stock."
Australian Jodie Lord came to view the fountain for professional and personal reasons.
The horticulture student said she was interested in water features - and "I love Diana", she said.
Studying the water flow, she said the simplicity of the design appealed to her.
"I love all the shapes, the contours of the land, the trees in the inner circle are just beautiful, and the turf is laid beautifully."
Two Texan visitors were also impressed.
Kevin Saunders, 49, with his wife Dora, 44, said: "It is a beautiful, moving tribute to the one of the most gracious lovely princesses we have ever got to know in our lifetime."
Using his wheelchair on the newly-added path designed to ease access for pushchairs and wheelchairs, he added: "She touched so many people's lives in a positive way."
Dora Saunders, who collects Diana dolls, said the couple planned to return to the UK every year and said that this would definitely be one of their stops.
^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©
~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~51~RS~)