Day Princess Diana popped into Tesco
THE PRINCESS of Wales made her first official visit to Southport nearly 32 years ago, on September 11, 1990.
She strolled around Tesco to talk to shoppers and offer them advice about healthy eating.
Community champion for Southport Tesco, Lesley Kirkbride, recalled the day vividly to the Southport Visiter in 2016: “My son was one of the children who met her. BirthRight was Tesco’s charity of the year and we were collecting cans along with Blue Peter.”
She added that the princess made the effort to speak to all the children:
“It was an amazing day. She was brilliant with the children and spoke to all of them, making reference to William who is the same age as my son.”
Julie Keenan said: “Yes I certainly do remember meeting her at Tesco. I was the little girl in the baker’s uniform in-store and afterwards she gave us toys and books. It was a great day and fantastic memories.”
Another famous visit to Southport in 1992 saw Princess Diana get emotional and break down in tears after opening Queenscourt Hospice in Kew.
The princess was chatting to Southport man Bill Davidson, who was chairman of the organisation, during the royal visit and campaigned tirelessly for funds to create the hospice, when she broke down in tears. Jennifer Ruth recalls seeing the princess moments after the emotional display: “I can remember the day she opened Queenscourt Hospice, it was also the day of my last GCSE exam.
“I lived on Guildford Road so my friend and I decided to sit on the garden wall and wait for her to pass on her way back from the hospice.
“As we saw the official cars approaching, we got ready to wave.”
Despite the upsetting day, Jennifer says that Diana still made sure to wave to those who were out to see her: “We could see that Diana was visibly upset. We hadn’t seen the news as it had only just happened moments before but it was clear that she had been or was crying.
“However, despite this, she still looked up and waved back at us. A fantastic memory.”
Former Southport Visiter reporter Geoff Wright said: “I reported on her visit to Queenscourt with Paul Smith when she, unfortunately but famously, broke down in tears, because Southport people were shouting out lovely comments.
“Our phones never stopped all day from journos all around the world wanting to know the story.”
Susan Stacey said: “I shook her hand when she visited the Birkdale School for the Hearing Impaired.
“She was so friendly with everyone.”