WELCOME

Wherever you were on that fateful day, it’s almost unfathomable that 20 years have passed since we lost Diana, Princess of Wales. Her extraordinary life – and the unprecedented response to her death – is indelibly inked on our memories. As a journalist working in London at the time, I stood at the gates of Kensington Palace on September 6, 1997, and watched as two bereft young boys, flanked by their visibly shocked father, grandfather and uncle, took the hardest steps of their life, honouring their adored mother who lay in the coffin before them. It was such a heartbreaking spectacle – and as Prince Harry himself has since said, “I don’t think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances. I don’t think it would happen today.” The world has certainly changed since then. What has stayed constant is our admiration for one of the world’s most intriguing people. If anything, time has only enhanced her standing as a great woman of our time. As her brother Earl Spencer says, “Diana deserves a place in history. And I think it’s important for people… to remember that this was a special person and not just a beautiful one.” In this special issue we look back on the life of Diana, and examine the impact she still exerts today. Its pages are a tribute we hope you’ll cherish. I trust you’ll enjoy this extract.