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Draft copies of the Order of Service for the September 1997 ceremony show her close friend was originally due to sing Your Song, another of his hit ballads.

Your Song – wrongly listed as Our Song – is in the first draft, two days after Diana died in a Paris car crash on August 31.

By the second draft a day later, Candle in the Wind 1997 – with its iconic opening line Goodbye England’s Rose – had taken its place in the order of events.

The documents reveal that the Rev Wesley Carr, the funeral organiser and Dean of Westminster, wrote: “It is popular culture at its best.

“Its use here would be imaginative and generous to the millions who are feeling personally bereaved.

“If it were thought the words too sentimental (although that is by no means a bad thing given the national mood), they need not be printed – only sung.”

Both programmes are contained in confidential files about Diana’s death, which are released today by the National Archives in Kew, south-west London.

As the world came to terms with the tragedy, the Dean was busy planning arrangements for Diana’s funeral at Westminster Abbey on September 6.

He wrote to the Queen’s Equerry Lt Col Malcolm Ross on

September 2, saying that it was felt there was a need to “balance tradition and liturgy with something of the free spirit”.

The Dean said Sir Elton would sing ‘Our Song’ “a different style of music, popularly associated with the Princess”, before a spoken tribute by Diana’s brother

Earl Spencer. But on September 3, he faxed a revised order to Buckingham Palace with Candle In The Wind – originally a tribute to tragic actress Marilyn Monroe – as a replacement piece.

He wrote: “This is a crucial part of the service and we would urge boldness.

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“It is where the unexpected happens and something of the modern world that the Princess represented. I respectfully suggest that anything classical or choral [even in a popular classic such as something by Lloyd Webber] is inappropriate.

“Better would be the enclosed song by Elton John [known to the millions, and his music was enjoyed by the Princess], which would be powerful.

“He has written new words to a tune which is being widely played and sung throughout the nation in memoriam to Diana.”

The Dean said that Candle In The Wind was “all the time on the radio” but adds that if the Royals wanted an alternative piece of music, they could opt for a “poignant” saxophone solo by a young musician.

Candle In The Wind was written by Sir Elton with long-time collaborator Bernie Taupin, and originally released in 1973 on his album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. The pair’s reworded version was released in the week after Diana’s funeral.

It quickly became the second best-selling single ever, topping the charts around the world, with proceeds going to charities supported by the princess.

Sir Elton has said in his memoir that media tycoon Sir Richard Branson had urged him to rework Candle In The Wind for Diana’s funeral because mourners were quoting his original lyrics in a book of condolence at St James’s Palace.

He has never performed the funeral version again.

Virgin boss Sir Richard has commented: “I wanted to do something to celebrate and continue her legacy.

“I rang Elton John and suggested rewriting Candle In The Wind, and said ‘I’ll try to get the Archbishop to accept it into the funeral service’, which he did.”

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