Aside from having your image stamped on a $5 gaming chip or being impersonated by a member of the Legends in Concert cast at Imperial Palace, there is hardly a higher form of tribute in Vegas than being set in wax at Madame Tussauds. And through Labor Day, amid the tuxedoed George Clooney, full-uniformed Joe Montana and shirtless Tupac Shakur, Princess Diana is being given special attention.
The statue of Princess Di has been placed in front of a wall-sized photo of her with her sons, William and Harry, and the memorial also features a video tribute and message where visitors can post notes about (and even to) the late princess. The statue is in the Spirit of America Room, sharing space with Abe Lincoln, Jack and Jackie Kennedy and the Apollo 11 crew. Yes, Diana was British, but organizers say she embodied our country’s “spirit,” and thus belongs.
The timing of the Princess Diana attraction is to coincide with the 10th anniversary of her death in an automobile accident in Paris, which was on August 31, 1997. At the time of her death, she was the most photographed figure in the world, and even in wax remains a popular, if somewhat eerie, tourist attraction. Visitors are encouraged to pose for photos with her statue; candles (and wind) are not supplied.