Today marks 24 years since Diana, Princess of Wales, died in a Paris car crash.
The princess – the Duke of Cambridge and the Duke of Sussex’s late mother – was just 36 was she was killed on August 31 1997.
Nicknamed the People’s Princess for her caring, open approach, Diana was known for her devotion to William and Harry, the breakdown of her marriage to the Prince of Wales, her personal struggles, and her humanitarian charity work.
Diana made a number of visits to Essex over the years.
Here we have taken a look back of some of the occasions.
She first came to the area to launch St Helena Hospice’s multi-million pound Joan Tomkins Day Centre in April 1988.
In September 1989 she visited Jaywick.
She was shown around the Malcolm Sergeant Home, for children with cancer, by warden Eileen Phillips.
Diana chatted with staff and children, hearing their stories.
Read more >> Remembering when Diana visited north Essex
The same year she also made an appearance in Chelmsford.
In November 1990 she visited Basildon.
During her visit she went to St Luke’s Hospice’s new headquarters at Fobbing Farm, off Nethermayne.
The princess headed to Basildon to celebrate the opening of the site, which had welcomed its first hospice patient just months earlier.
Read more >> Crowds assembled as Princess Diana visited St Luke’s Hospice headquarters
Families lined the streets with banners and badges with slogans such as I Love Basildon adorning them as Princess Diana rolled into town.
In November 1990, she also met residents at the Guinness Trust, Barn Hall, in Colchester before moving on to Harwich.
Nearly a quarter of a century on from Diana’s shocking death, a statue commissioned by William and Harry was finally unveiled last month.
Well-wishers are able to view the statue at Kensington Palace on Tuesday after Historic Royal Palaces made special arrangements to allow visitors access to the Cradle Walk around the Sunken Garden between 3pm to 5pm for the anniversary.
Due to the pandemic, the area is only usually accessible to the public from Wednesdays to Sundays.
William, the Duchess of Cambridge and their three children – Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis – are understood to be commemorating the anniversary privately.
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