Princess Diana about her favourite photograph: “I can remember this little boy, his suffering, his voice”

Cape Town - Over the years the photogenic People’s Princess has been photographed countless times. Shortly before she died in 1997 the magazine Le Monde asked her to pick a picture to talk about in an interview.

Among the myriad of pictures to choose from, one taken on 22 February 1996 at a hospital in Lahore, Pakistan, was dear to her. In her own words she explained why: “A little, sick boy caught my eye. A solemn little boy with sad eyes and an emaciated body. And I couldn’t look at anyone else but him. I don’t know why, but I knew he was going to die. ‘Can I take him in my arms?’ I said to his mother. She was full of smiles, delighted. We laughed, in a nice way, as she handed me the child. But then he begged us with his little anxious voice: ‘Please don’t mock me.’ I was disconcerted but the mother explained that we were only talking . . . I hugged him very tight. The child died soon afterwards. I was informed during a later visit. I haven’t forgotten."

(Photo: Getty Images)