Princess Diana’s time capsule from 1991 unearthed at Children’s Hospital

A time capsule sealed by the late Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1991 has been uncovered at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) to make way for a new cancer center.

The capsule was carefully excavated by hospital workers—some born in 1991 and others already on staff at the time—revealing a unique snapshot of early 1990s life. Among the items discovered were a pocket-sized television, a Kylie Minogue CD, tree seeds, a solar-powered calculator, British coins, a snowflake hologram, recycled paper, and a European passport, according to a hospital press release issued Wednesday.

Janet Holmes, Senior Health Play Specialist who worked at GOSH in 1991, expressed nostalgia upon seeing the pocket TV. “It brought back so many memories... I had bought one for my husband back then for his breaks while driving his coach around the country. They were very expensive at the time!” she said.

Princess Diana, who served as president of GOSH from 1989, was renowned for her heartfelt visits to the children’s hospital located in central London. She took part in the original time capsule ceremony in March 1991, which marked the laying of the foundation stone for the hospital’s Variety Club Building.

The capsule’s contents were selected by two young winners of a national competition, tasked with choosing memorabilia that best represented life in the 1990s.

Rochana Redkar, Clinical Fellow in Paediatric Haematology Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, expressed excitement about being involved in the excavation. “It was wonderful to be part of this event. I had just joined GOSH six months earlier and was thrilled to help remove the time capsule that was buried the year I was born!” she said.

The unearthing marks a poignant link between past and present as GOSH moves forward with its plans to build a state-of-the-art cancer center for children.