Princess Diana looks beautiful in unseen photo of her shared to mark anniversary of her death

Princess Diana
(Image credit: Getty)

Princess Diana looks beautiful in an unseen treasured snap shared to mark the anniversary of her death.

Author Allan Mallinson has paid a sweet tribute to the late Princess Diana by sharing an unseen throwback snap from the time he met her.

Allan, 72, is best known as the author of the Matthew Harvey series of books and he first crossed paths with Princess Diana back in 1987 as she was sitting for a portrait when she was the Colonel-in-Chief for the 13/18th Royal Hussars.

And on the 24th anniversary of her tragic death, in which she died aged 36 in a car crash in Paris, a never-seen-before snap has come to light.

Allan shared the snap and captioned it, 'As it's the day (1997), I thought I'd post this photo, which I don't think has ever been published. Sitting for her portrait as Colonel-in-Chief 13/18H. I had just brought the newly made brooch from Garrards'.

In the Allan Mallinson tribute to Princess Diana, she is wearing a black floor-length dress with off-the-shoulder sleeves and a deep-v-shape neckline.

Allan then shared a close-up shot of Diana wearing the brooch, a royal insignia, in all its glory. He added, 'And the brooch in close up.'

It comes after Prince William and Harry missed the heartbreaking tradition of meeting to share memories of their beloved mother.

Prince Harry is living over in LA with his wife Meghan and their two children, Archie, two, and Lilibet Diana, aged two months. While Prince William is at Kensington Palace, London with his wife Kate and their three children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.

Fans are in awe at the photo. One fan said, 'The most beautiful Diana.'

Another fan wrote, 'Stunning'.

And a third fan added, 'Diana was so beautiful. What a pity she was taken from us way too soon. May the Lord give her peace & rest & love for her soul.'

Princess Diana's death on 31st August 1997 shocked the world when news broke that the Princess had died in a fatal car accident.

Princess Diana sat in the back of car in Paris moments before she was killed in a car crash

A photo taken by Jacques Langevin in Paris on the night of August 31, 1997 shows Diana Princess of Wales (head turned away in backseat), her bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones (L) and driver Henri Paul shortly before the fatal crash which killed Diana, her companion and Henri Paul. The photo was presented as part of the evidence at the Scott Baker Inquest into the crash, in which the jury found that Diana and Dodi had been unlawfully killed because their driver, Henri Paul and the pursuing paparazzi were reckless. (Photo by Jacques Langevin/Sygma via Getty Images)

When asked whether he still has the brooch today, Allan revealed that it was returned to the regiment following the Princess of Wales' death, and is currently on display at the Discovery Museum in Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

He tweeted, 'The brooch was returned to the regiment after the Princess's death, and is held at the museum of the @LDLightCav in @Discovery_Mus.'

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Selina Maycock
Senior Family Writer

Selina is a Senior Family Writer for GoodtoKnow and has more than 16 years years of experience. She specialises in royal family news, including the latest activities of Prince George, Charlotte, Louis, Archie and Lilibet. She also covers the latest government, health and charity advice for families. Selina graduated from the University of Sheffield in 2006 with a degree in Journalism, and gained her NCTJ and NCE qualifications. During her career, she’s also written for Woman, Woman's Own, Woman&Home, and Woman's Weekly as well as Heat magazine, Bang Showbiz - and the Scunthorpe Telegraph. When she's not covering family news, you can find her exploring new countryside walking routes, catching up with friends over good food, or making memories (including award-winning scarecrows!)