Princess Diana's close friend, fashion designer Lana Marks, has revealed that the pair were supposed to be going on holiday to Milan at the time of Diana's death. The two friends had intended to stay in Italy together on the week of the fatal car accident on 31 August, 1997, but the trip was cancelled when Lana's father suffered a fatal heart attack.
© Photo: Getty ImagesPrincess Diana with one of Lana's handbag designs
Speaking to The Sun, she said: "It was a terrible time. I was supposed to be on vacation with Diana in Milan right then. We were going to go to Lake Como before flying back. I felt bad because she was at a loose end. I still feel the pain of it all. I constantly think, 'What if she'd been with me?' All that might not have happened."
To commemorate the death of Princess Diana, Lana has created a one-of-a-kind, jewel encrusted version of a handbag she once designed for the Princess, who sent Lana a handwritten thank you note and ended up buying 15 of the bags. Speaking of the new bag, which Lana plans to sell at charity auction for £30,000, she said: "She would love the bag and it reminds me of her. The heart is particularly soft and rounded. It may appear very simple but it is not. She was the princess of hearts. I want people to remember this beautiful person. She was somebody who inspired."
© Photo: Getty ImagesDiana was killed on 31 August 1997
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Prince Harry recently opened up about his mother on a new documentary, Diana, 7 Days. In the footage, Harry vows to keep her legacy alive, saying: "All I want to do is fill the holes that my mother has left, and between myself and William, and everyone else who’s in those privileged positions, to try and make a difference. And that's what it's about for us. To try and make a difference."
