Elton John And Jamie Lee Curtis Leads Tributes To Princess Diana, On The Anniversary Of Her Death

'20 years ago today, the world lost an angel.'

Elton John and Jamie Lee Curtis are among the celebrities who have paid tribute to Princess Diana, on the 20th anniversary of her death.

Both stars knew the Princess personally, with Elton famously performing a rewritten version of his hit ‘Candle In The Wind’ at her funeral.

Posting on his Instagram page, he shared a photograph of himself with Diana, alongside the simple caption: “20 years ago today, the world lost an angel. #RIP.”

Jamie shared a lengthier post, telling fans that she once exchanged short letters with Diana, after the pair’s paths nearly crossed in the 1980s.

Explaining that Diana visited the set of her film ‘A Fish Called Wanda’, Jamie recalled how she missed the Royal arrival.

She wrote: “She was to visit our set deep in the gardens of Pinewood Studios with her children and we waited for her all morning and then when we took a break midday, I raced via golf cart to my dressing room to use the restroom.

“While I was in there someone came knocking on my door saying that Princess Diana and her children had arrived on set and as I raced back in the golf cart, they were already walking away.

“The next day I wrote her a note explaining my nature break and how disappointed I was not to tell her, in person, how much I admired her.

“A hand delivered letter from Kensington Palace, on her stationary, came the next day thanking me for mine and understanding completely the need for nature to take it’s course. We exchanged a hope that we would get to meet in the future.” 

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Jamie Lee Curtis
Mario Anzuoni / Reuters

Describing how she felt to learn of Diana’s death years later, she continued: “I remember turning off the television knowing what the media was going to do. I picked up a book on meditation which was next to my bed by Joseph Goldstein and Jack Kornfeld.

“In it it said that at the time of death, people who try to live mindfully, ask themselves only two questions. Did I learn to live wisely? Did I love well?

“I thought about her and her life and the choices she made and how brave she was, how she reached out to that young man with AIDS before anyone did, the minefields, mental health and so much more and how much she loved her children, the image of them running into her outstretched arms after a long trip.

“It gave me comfort that although her life was short, it was complete.

“She was a great role model for me. An example to live by. I honour her this day.”

A number of other famous faces have also posted tributes on social media:

In the run-up to the anniversary of Diana’s death, her sons, Princes William and Harry have spoken more candidly than ever before about how they coped following their loss.

William shared his fondness for his mother’s playful side in one recent documentary, recalling “a very funny memory that’s lived with me forever”.

He said: “She organised when I came home from school to have Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington and Naomi Campbell waiting at the top of the stairs, I was probably a 12 or 13-year-old boy who had posters of them on his wall.

“I went bright red, and didn’t know quite what to say and sort of fumbled and I think pretty much fell down the stairs on the way up. I was completely and utterly awestruck.”

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Princess Diana Prince Charles and Princess Diana tour of the Gulf States, 1989
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Princess Diana at Dartmouth Naval College, Devon, 1989
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Princess Diana British Royal Tour of Gulf States, 1989
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Prince Charles and Princess Diana on Tour of the Gulf States, 1989
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Princess Diana visiting Bristol, 1989
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Princess Diana visiting Cardiff, 1989
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Princess Diana 'Miss Saigon' at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, 1989
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Princess Diana in Worksop, 1989
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Princess Diana, 1989
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Princess Diana, St Albans, 1989