Princess Diana comforted a mum who'd lost a son during visit to cemetery weeks before her death

Princess Diana

Known as the People’s Princess, there are countless examples of Diana’s kind, loving and nurturing nature during her life - both through her charity work, and how she raised her two sons.

But there’s one moment that’s particularly poignant, for how candid it was.

The special moment was revealed ahead of the release of the 2017 documentary Diana, Our Mother: Her Life and Legacy, to mark the 20 years since her death in 1997.

The Princess of Wales was visiting Bosnia just weeks before her death as part of her anti-landmine advocacy work with friends Ken Rutherford and Jerry White, and insisted they should visit the Sarajevo War Cementary, where victims of the Bosnian War were buried.

Princess Diana

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Mr White told Entertainment Weekly at the time: "The image of her in a cemetery in Sarajevo, on the last day of our trip still haunts me. It wasn't planned. It was never on the itinerary.

“She walked slowly, among tombstones and even yellow rose bushes."

During the short visit, Diana met a Bosnian woman who was there visiting her son’s grave, and the two connected immediately despite not knowing each other’s languages.

"Diana didn't speak Bosnian, and this mother didn't know English," Mr White continued. “So they just embraced. So intimately, so physical, so emotional, mother-to-mother.

"Diana listened more than she spoke. It was intense to watch her absorb human pain. She was hyper-intuitive and fully appropriate in the face of people's suffering."

Princess Diana sadly past away 22 years ago, on August 31st, in a car accident in Paris.

Mariana Cerqueira

Mariana is the managing editor of woman&home. She has previously worked for lifestyle titles including GoodtoKnow covering all aspects of women’s lifestyle - from the Royal Family, beauty and fashion to wellness and travel. She was nominated for AOP Digital Journalist of the Year in 2020, and for New Digital Talent of the Year at the 2016 PPA Digital Awards. She’s mildly obsessed with TV (reality TV shows included) and spends far too much time planning her next trip away.