LONDON: Fans of Princess Diana gathered at dawn at the gates of Kensington Palace on Thursday to celebrate the life of a woman who transformed Britain and its royal family when she died 20 years ago in a Paris car crash.

One of the most famous women in the world, Diana was killed aged 36 on Aug 31, 1997, when her limousine crashed in a tunnel as it sped away from paparazzi giving chase on motorbikes. “She brought a breath of fresh air to the royal family,” said Caryll Foster, 57, who got to the palace for 3am to mark the time when the news of Diana’s death broke.

“The royal family can be a bit cold, and she was warm hearted and kind. She was very special and we want to keep her memory alive.”

On Thursday, fans gathered in the dark to lay candles and remember a woman who married Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, in a glittering 1981 wedding ceremony before their bitter divorce in 1996.

The 20th anniversary of Diana’s death has prompted a renewed fascination with the “People’s Princess”, as she was dubbed by then-Prime Minister Tony Blair, with her two sons Prince William and Harry leading the tributes.

Published in Dawn, September 1st, 2017