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Child Monarch
 AUGUST 31, 1422 - Henry VI became the youngest person ever to succeed to the English throne after the death of his father Henry V, becoming King of England at the age of only 9 months. Two months later, on October 21, 1422, he would also become King of France following the death of his grandfather Charles VI. Henry did not actually assume the reins of leadership until 1437 at the age of 16. Henry ruled until March 4, 1461 when he was deposed by his cousin, Edward of York, and was forced to flee to Scotland. After 9 years in exile Henry returned to England in 1470 and was able to overthrow Edward and reclaim the throne. But his second stint as king was short-lived; he only ruled for 6 months before his death. King Henry VI is most remembered for his contributions to education. During his reign he founded both Eton College and King's College.
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Royal Tragedy
AUGUST 31, 1997 - Diana, Princess of Wales, died from injuries sustained in a car accident in the Pont de l'Alma road tunnel in Paris, France. Initial media reaction blamed the accident on the paparazzi, which were pursuing Diana's car at the time of the accident. However, following an 18-month investigation, the French police determined that the crash was caused by Diana's driver, who was drunk and lost control of the car at high speed. Following Diana's death there were extraordinary public expressions of grief. More than one million bouquets of flowers were left outside Diana's home at Kensington Palace. However the failure of the Royal Family to return to London from their summer residence in Scotland, and the lack of any kind of public statement regarding Diana's death caused unprecedented resentment and outcry. Even though Diana was no longer considered a member of the Royal Family following her divorce from Prince Charles in 1996, the Queen's rigid adherence to protocol was interpreted by some as a lack of compassion. The Queen eventually returned to London and made her first public appearance in years. Diana's funeral at Westminster Abbey on September 6, 1997 drew an estimated 3 million mourners in London and was watched by 2.5 billion people worldwide.
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Flying Fish?
AUGUST 31, 1965 - The first ever Aero Spacelines Super Guppy (arguably the ugliest airplane ever built) took its maiden flight. Created to haul oversized cargo, the Super Guppy was built directly from the fuselage of a C-97J Turbo Stratocruiser. The fuselage was lengthened to 141 feet and ballooned out to a maximum inside diameter of 25 feet. Only five Super Guppies were ever built and only one remains in operation -- it is owned by NASA and stationed in Houston, Texas. The original Super Guppy is now on display at the Pima Air & Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.
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"I want to pay tribute to Diana myself. She was an exceptional and gifted human being. In good times and bad, she never lost her capacity to smile and laugh, nor to inspire others with her warmth and kindness."
- Queen Elizabeth in a public address following the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.
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Side Note  An account of the Royal Family's reaction to the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, is told in the 2006 film The Queen, staring Helen Mirren.
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