IN an unprecedented show of royal togetherness, the Queen and almost all of her family travelled from Balmoral to Crathie Kirk for Sunday worship yesterday on the eve of the first anniversary of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.

It was to the same kirk that the Prince of Wales took his sons exactly a year ago within hours of their mother's death.

At that service, the Rev Robert Sloan made no direct mention of the princess because he feared it might distress Princes William and Harry. Yesterday again there was no direct mention of Diana.

In London, prayers were said at Westminster Abbey, where her funeral was held, and a thousand bouquets brought colour to the gates of Kensington Palace as a stream of visitors paid tribute to the princess.

Members of the Spencer family and estate workers at Althorp will today hold a private service overlooking the lake where Diana is buried on a small island.

This morning, the royals will return to Crathie Kirk for a private prayer service in memory of Diana.

Yesterday, more than 1000 wellwishers gathered along the route from Balmoral to Crathie.

Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie arrived first at the kirk.

They are spending the weekend at the castle. They decided some time ago it would not be appropriate to take their children with them, given that their visit coincided with the anniversary of Diana's death.

Then followed the largest number of members of the royal family in recent memory.

The Duke of Edinburgh, the Queen, the Duke of York, and his two daughters Eugenie and Beatrice, were in the first vehicle. Then came the Queen Mother and the Prince of Wales. In a third vehicle were the Princess Royal, her husband Commander Tim Laurence, Prince Edward, his girlfriend Sophie Rhys-Jones, Princes William and Harry, and Zara Phillips.

In the crowd was Nessie Parker, 72, who lives in Lancashire but is originally from Motherwell. She and her sister-in-law Ethen Dewhurst, 77, from Kendal, come every year at this time.

Mrs Parker said: ''We were here last year when Princess Diana died and it was a total shock that day. Here it was very subdued. We didn't have the hysteria there was in London. Everyone was very saddened.''

In the church, around 200 regular attenders and tourists had gathered.

The theme of the service, at which the Moderator of the Church of Scotland, the Rt Rev Professor Alan Main, was the guest preacher, was the resurrection.

The most direct reference to Diana's death came when Mr Sloan, the Crathie minister, called on the congregation to pray for those in authority, for the church, and for those who are grieving.

''We pray for the Queen and her husband, for her children and grandchildren, and for Queen Elizabeth at this special time,'' he said.

''We ask for your blessing and your peace to be upon them and within them.

''We pray for all who grieve today that they may be given strength and courage. Hear our prayers for those whose grieving goes back many years as a consequence of war and terrorism, for those whose memories are not just kept for Remembrance Sunday. Hear our prayers for those who have lost a loved one in circumstances known to the world but experienced by a few.

''We remember those who still carry the burden of Piper Alpha, Lockerbie, Dunblane, and Omagh.''

The service ended, traditionally when the royal family are present, with God Save the Queen.

The Blairs were first to make the return journey and, it was reported, were to join the Queen for a barbecue yesterday afternoon, one of the warmest days the area has enjoyed for some time.