Princess Diana’s fans gather to mark her death
LONDON — Fans of the late Princess Diana placed tributes outside the gates of her Kensington Palace home on Wednesday, marking the 25th anniversary of her death in a Paris car accident.
An arrangement of white chrysanthemums spelling out “Princess Diana” sat among dozens of photos and messages left by admirers, some of whom said they make annual pilgrimages to the spot to remember the tragedy.
“We just come here, do the memorial and ... we just chat about things that she used to do, ... to let people know that we will never forget the princess,” said Julie Cain, 59, who traveled 300 miles from Newcastle in northern England.
Diana died on Aug. 31, 1997, at the age of 36, stunning people around the world.
Diana was the focus of constant media attention from the moment she was engaged to marry Prince Charles until the night she died. Her fairytale wedding, ugly divorce and efforts to build a new life all made headlines.
The public watched as she blossomed from a shy teenager into an international style icon who befriended AIDS patients, charmed Nelson Mandela and walked through a minefield to promote the drive to eradicate land mines. Along the way, she showed the royal family, particularly her sons William and Harry, how to connect with people and be relevant in the 21st century.
On Wednesday morning, Cain and her friend Maria Scott, 51, paid their respects as they do every year.
“There was just something about that girl that really stood out. And of course, I watched the wedding, the fairy-tale princess,” Scott said. “She was like part of your life because you were seeing that every day on the television.”