On August 31, 1997, the world was shocked and saddened to learn of Princess Diana’s death following a car crash in Paris, France. She was just 36 years old. After all, not only was she a beacon of hope for the country she served and beyond, but she was also a mother of two young boys and had her whole life ahead of her. But after that one tragic night, Diana’s humanitarian efforts became her legacy.
In honor of the life of the late Princess of Wales, we’ve taken a look at what she was up to in the summer of 1997. While she began a relationship with Harrods heir Dodi Fayed, Diana also had a busy schedule: traveling to the United States and Bosnia-Herzegovina for official engagements and to Saint Tropez, France, for a vacation with her sons, Princes William and Harry.
To find out what big moments marked her final months of life, including the celebrity she met while auctioning off her clothes for charity, scroll down.
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Princess Diana attended a performance of “Swan Lake”
On June 3, Diana made quite a dazzling appearance at the Royal Albert Hall when she attended a ballet performance by Swan Lake. For the occasion, she wore this shimmering blue dress by Jacques Azagury with a combination of pearl and diamond necklace and earrings. According to WWDThe necklace alone was made with 178 diamonds totaling 51 carats.
“She knew she had great legs, and after her divorce she wanted to show them off,” Azagury said fashion about her fashion era.
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Princess Diana makes contact with students
Three days later, she stole the show when she spoke to a student at the Swaminarayan School in Neasden, London. What lucky girls!
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Princess Diana met Mother Teresa
Even in her final months, Diana had a busy schedule and even met Mother Teresa in New York City on June 18.
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Princess Diana auctioned her clothes
On the same trip to the United States, Diana auctioned many of her dresses from previous years at Christie’s International.
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Diana met Kate Moss
At the pre-auction party, she met another much-talked-about celebrity: Kate Moss.
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Princess Diana went on holiday with Prince William and Harry
In between her public appearances, Diana travelled to Saint-Tropez in France in July with her boyfriend, the late Dodi Fayed, and her sons, Princes William and Harry. In this photo she is seen jet skiing with 12-year-old Harry.
In the documentary ITV Diana, our mother: her life and legacy, The brothers thought about their last conversation with their mother, which had taken place shortly afterwards on the telephone.
“Harry and I were in a desperate rush to say goodbye, you know, ‘See you later,'” he recalled via People“If I had obviously known what was going to happen, I wouldn’t have been so blasé about the matter and everything else.”
“I don’t necessarily remember what I said, but all I know is that I will regret for the rest of my life how short the phone call was,” Harry continued. The mirror“If I had known that this would be the last time I would speak to my mother, what would I have said to her?”
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Princess Diana looked carefree
In many pictures from this trip, Diana seems to be having the time of her life. At that time, she was just beginning her relationship with Harrods heir Dodi Fayed.
“She lives her life the way she wants to live it,” said her friend Rosa Monckton Vanity Fair“And she is free from the limitations she used to have. You can see it. She is much happier with herself.”
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Princess Diana attended Gianni Versace’s funeral
A few months before her own death, Diana honored her friend and designer Gianni Versace with a tribute to him at the Duomo di Milano in Milan, Italy.
Before his tragic death, Versace spoke about Diana and her friendship with Vanity Fair“I had a fitting with her last week for new suits and clothes for spring, and she is so serene,” the late designer said. “I think it’s a moment in her life where she found herself – the way she wants to live.”
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Princess Diana befriends young fan
During her visit to the New Children’s Ambulatory Care Centre on July 21, Diana shared this sweet moment with a young fan who presented her with this yellow, green and purple bouquet of flowers.
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Princess Diana continues to fight for awareness about landmines
At the beginning of August, Diana visited Bosnia and Herzegovina for three days as part of her campaign to raise awareness of the devastating effects of landmines, a cause that has been close to her heart for many years.
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Princess Diana announced her last official engagement
On her last official royal engagement, Diana sat next to these two boys, Malic Bradoric and Zarco Beric, both of whom had been injured by landmines.