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 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.
Her death prompted the biggest outpouring of grief seen in
Britain in recent times and hurt the monarchy, which was accused
of reacting coldly.
The events that followed, when Queen Elizabeth promised to learn
from Diana's life, are regarded as a turning point in the
modernization of the country and how the royal family relates to
the public.
"She brought a breath of fresh air to the royal family," said
Caryll Foster, 57, who got to the palace for 3:00 a.m. 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.
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The front pages of newspapers showed the two royals examining
flowers and notes left for their mother, next to the same image
taken 20 years ago when, aged 15 and 12, they met mourners and read
some of the thousands of messages left at the gates.
In documentaries broadcast in recent weeks, the two men have spoken
about the trauma they suffered from their mother's death and their
sense of confusion and bewilderment at the country's grief.
The Times newspaper said on Thursday the fact the royal princes
could speak so openly about their emotions showed the lasting legacy
of Diana, one of the first royal figures to talk about her emotions.
"Their courage to be openly vulnerable and to talk about these
issues is a mark of how the royal family has changed and an example
of the role a modern royal family can play in British life," it said
in an editorial.
"The princes have led the way in dispensing with the stiff upper lip
against which Diana railed."
(Reporting by Emma Rumney; Editing by Hugh Lawson)
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