Singer Elton John has handed over a £20 million cheque - the first instalment of proceeds from the sale of his hit record, Candle in the Wind '97 - to the Princess Diana Memorial Fund.
It was presented to the late princess's sister, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, and the fund's other trustees in London yesterday.
The song, with new words for Diana by lyricist Bernie Taupin, has sold 33 million copies worldwide and a further $16.5 million is expected to be handed to the fund in the next few weeks.
Since Elton sang it at Diana's funeral in Westminster Abbey in September, the song outsold Bing Crosby's record-breaking White Christmas, which has notched up sales of 30 million in 55 years.
"We are both touched and overwhelmed by the scale of the response to Elton John's single from the very many people around the world who have bought it," Lady Sarah said.
The British tycoon Richard Branson said yesterday he hoped to launch another attempt to fly around the world starting this weekend if his balloon, now being recovered in Algeria, was not too damaged.
"The Algerians seem to be very co-operative," he told reporters in Marrakesh, Morocco.
"Their army is trying to help us wrap the balloon up. It will be brought to the Moroccan border where a helicopter is waiting to bring it back to Marrakesh."