Almost a decade since thousands last gathered with Princess Diana in their minds, this time the mood was of celebration, not grief.

The memorial concert at Wembley Stadium, blessed by fine weather and timed to mark the Princess's 46th birthday rather than the 10th anniversary of her death in August, featured more than two dozen stars from the world of music and beyond, performing to 63,000 dancing, clapping and Mexican-waving people. Not even long queues caused by enhanced security measures could spoil the day.

Gallery: Concert for Diana - in pictures

Princes William and Harry, who introduced one of their mother's favourite bands, Duran Duran, picked a bill that reflected her talent for appealing to almost everybody. Pop, hip hop, soft rock and ballet were all represented.

The crowd was equally mixed, though principally comprised women of a certain age, to judge by the screams that accompanied Donny Osmond and, to a slightly lesser extent, Take That.

Harry's girlfriend Chelsy Davy was by his side, and Kate Middleton was also present. Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie were singing along to every word, they too may have had a hand in picking the line-up.

Fergie was there as well, though it was the American singer from the Black Eyed Peas, not the duchess. Performing beneath a giant illuminated capital D, she was one of a number of pop princesses to bring some sparkle to the stage, including Lily Allen, Nelly Furtado and Natasha Bedingfield.

Diana's close friend Sir Elton John started and finished the six-hour show performing hits including Your Song and Tiny Dancer but not Candle In The Wind, which is too strongly associated with her funeral.

Other Diana favourites included the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and the English National Ballet, who brought grace and magic with Act Four of Swan Lake, generating a dreamy mood brought back to earth by the primitive rock of Status Quo.

Other oldies such as Roger Hodgson of Supertramp and Bryan Ferry kept the classics coming, as did Rod Stewart with Maggie May and Sailing. If most of the entertainment was rather cosy, the influence of the princes was felt with a couple of rap stars. Pharrell Williams sent all the mothers rush-ing for the loos with his rowdy segment. Kanye West provided the exuberant highlight of the show with a grippingly energetic performance, promising, "We've only got seven minutes but we're gonna rip this stage in half."

The short times allocated to each act meant few surprises, most often one big hit and a quick goodbye. Rumours of appearances of Robbie Williams with Take That and George Michael with Elton John proved unfounded, and there was no single moment to treasure forever.

That mass outpouring of grief seems like a lifetime ago now, ever harder to comprehend. This giant gathering of people for the People's Princess served its purpose as an effective reminder of a remarkable life that thankfully never asked for more tears.