ST DAVID’S DAY MARCH 1 1991 PRINCE WILLIAM ON FIRST OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENT WITH PRINCESS DIANA & PRINCE CHARLES LLANDAFF CATHEDRAL CARDIFF WALES

Insiders say that William has a special affection for Wales. He made his first public engagement at the side of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, at Llandaff Cathedral in Cardiff on St David’s Day on March 1, 1991.  With his mother and father he attended a service at the Cathedral and then went with Princess Diana to attend a ceremony at St. David’s Hall in the Welsh capital.  The Princess later gave a short speech extolling the greatness of Cardiff and Wales.  Prince William, though shy and somewhat overwhelmed, did well, and charmed the crowds with his impeccable manners and poise.  It was his first step as a public royal.

OUR PRINCESS DIANA IN THE PRESS ARTICLE TODAY FROM MANCHESTER ENGLAND 1981: DI’S MOST FAMOUS SLIP

OUR PRINCESS DIANA ARTICLE TODAY IS FROM 1981: DIANA QUEEN OF HEARTS HAS EARNED THIS TITLE ALREADY SAYS SARAH FORD

29 FEBRUARY 1984 (LEAP YEAR) PRINCE CHARLES & PRINCESS DIANA ATTEND A GENESIS CONCERT IN BIRMINGHAM; SHE WEARS TUXEDO BY MARGARET HOWELL

She is wearing a Margaret Howell Tuxedo and Alexander Gabbay shoes

February 29, 1984: Prince Charles & Princess Diana attend a Genesis Concert at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.

And the designer of the tuxedo suit for Diana: Margaret Howell

Margaret Howell was born in Tadworth, Surrey, England in 1946. She attended Goldsmiths’s College, London from 1966 to 1970.

In 1971, she started creating a range of accessories and in 1972, a line of clothing. These were popular, so in 1974, she established her own company and at the same time began collaborating with JOSEPH. She also opened a retail outlet. She also started making menswear in the 70’s.

In 1985, Diana Princess of Wales, chose one of Margaret Howell’s white tuxedo suits with a black bow tie, to wear at a Genesis concert.
Today she has shops and concessions all over Europe and the USA, as well as Japan. In 1995, she showed her first collection in London Fashion Week. Going into the 21st century, she is one of London’s leading designers.

By the beginning of 2000, Howell’s empire had grown to employ 300 people worldwide, with global sales of L30 million. She has capitalized on the popularity of British design in Japan, designing under license for the Japanese company Anglobal and has 70 shops and concessions there, in contrast to only 10 in her home country.

Her fundamental style is steeped in British tailoring tradition but with each new season she catches the prevailing fashion wind with a modern twist. She showed her Winter 2003 collection in her new flagship store on Wigmore Street in London.

Diana wore Howell’s brown cord knickerbockers at Balmoral in 1981:

In Autumn 2003, Margaret Howell joined forced with Japanese denim label Edwin to produce her first ever denim collection. She spent a year researching yarns and dyeing processes, and has launched classic painter’s trousers, five-pocket Western jeans and jean jackets lined in black cotton.

THE LOOK
Howell specializes in classic ready-to-wear garments, created by adapting traditional styles and fabrics into fashion shapes. She favours pinstripes and suiting materials – wool, tweed and meltron – which she makes into riding jackets, tuxedo suits and tailored blouses. Her silhouettes are usually elongated and soft. She says: “when I started out, I was only thinking about what I wanted to wear, I liked quality and comfort. I was probably responsible for the move towards using men’s tailoring tweeds for women’s clothes.”

28 FEBRUARY 1996 PRINCESS DIANA ACCEPTS PRINCE CHARLES’ DIVORCE TERMS; DETAILS TO DISCUSS

Buckingham Palace was involved in frosty exchanges with the Princess of Wales last night as she announced that she has agreed to the Prince of Wales’s demands for a divorce. The announcement, yesterday evening, took Buckingham Palace by surprise and provoked an irritated response from the Queen’s spokesman.

A statement issued on the Princess’s behalf said: “The Princess of Wales has agreed to Prince Charles’s request for a divorce. The Princess will continue to be involved in all decisions relating to the children and will remain at Kensington Palace with offices in St James’s Palace. The Princess of Wales will retain the title and be known as Diana, Princess of Wales.”

But the Palace responded with a cool statement saying the Queen was “most interested” to hear the Princess had agreed to a divorce. And in an open contradiction of the Princess’s statement a Palace spokesman said: “We can confirm that the Prince and Princess of Wales had a private meeting this afternoon at St James’s Palace. At this meeting details of the divorce settlement and the Princess’s future role were not discussed. All the details on these matters, including titles, remain to be discussed and settled. This will take time.”

The Princess’s announcement last night was thought to have been influenced, at least in part, by the Queen’s desire that the royal couple divorce without dragging out the process. The Queen has been awaiting her decision since last December after she wrote to both of them advising that it was in their best interests to seek an early divorce. The Queen stepped in after the Princess’s controversial Panorama interview in November during which she admitted adultery and cast doubt on the Prince’s suitability to take on the role of king.

Prince Charles responded quickly that he was content to follow the Queen’s advice, taking the opportunity to state publicly that he had no intention of remarrying.

The Princess made clear at the time that she would not be hurried into making a quick decision. Last night’s statement was interpreted by some royal watchers as an attempt to secure her position. Royal sources in turn made it clear that the details released in the Princess’s statement were her “requests” and had not yet been agreed.

The announcement also caught Downing Street by surprise. A spokesman said: “We only have press reports of this. It really is a matter for the Royal Family itself.”

The couple’s separation was officially announced in December 1992. During 1993, they attended some functions together – but mostly led separate lives. In December of that year, the Princess announced her withdrawal from public life and asked to be allowed to live away from the media spotlight. In June 1994, Prince Charles admitted to Jonathan Dimbleby, in a television documentary, that he had been unfaithful to his wife. In October of that year, Anna Pasternak’s book about the former Army officer James Hewitt’s five-year affair with the Princess was published, fuelling speculation that the royal couple would divorce.

In August last year, the Princess was linked with another man, the England rugby captain Will Carling, after they became friends while training at an exclusive gym in Chelsea, west London. The rugby player and his wife Julia later separated.

In November last year, the Princess gave her Panorama interview in which she vowed she would not “go quietly”.

“That’s the problem. I’ll fight to the end, because I believe that I have a role to fulfil, and I’ve got two children to bring up,” she said. Again, Palace officials were angered by her decision not to inform them about the interview until shortly before it was broadcast.

It is likely that lawyers for the Prince and Princess are already working on a detailed financial settlement and the basis for formal terms could have been set out. However, custody of – and access to – Prince William, 13, and Prince Harry, 11, will be uppermost in the couple’s minds.

At present, under the terms of separation, the Prince and Princess have equal access to their children. Last night’s statement makes clear that she will continue to be involved in all decisions regarding the children.

The Queen will be an interested party in the future of the young princes and could also contribute to any cash settlement paid to the Princess.

Press speculation has focused on a pounds 15m clean-break settlement which would provide the Princess with an annual net income of about pounds 500,000.

It is doubtful, however, that the Prince has sufficient capital to afford such a settlement without help from the Queen. As Duke of Cornwall, he controls Duchy of Cornwall assets worth more than pounds 90m. But he holds the Duchy in trust for future Princes of Wales and cannot sell off assets to raise cash.

The Duchy provides an annual income for the Prince and Princess of an estimated pounds 3.5m after tax of which he spends pounds 2m on official expenses and pounds 1.5m on private expenditure. Dividend income from the prince’s pounds 2m Stock Exchange portfolio nets an additional pounds 50,000 a year. The Princess’s personal wealth is less obvious. Her brother inherited the bulk of the Spencer family fortune including Althorp. But she does have possession of jewellery worth an estimated pounds 20m. However, it is unclear whether the Princess or the Crown owns the jewels.

28 FEBRUARY 1982 PRINCE CHARLES & PRINCESS DIANA ATTEND THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF MUSIC CENTENARY SERVICE AT WESTMINSTER, LONDON

She is wearing a Bellville Sassoon pink wool coat & a John Boyd hat

February 28, 1982: Prince Charles & Princess Diana at the Royal College of Music Centenary Service at Westminster, London.

OUR PRINCESS DIANA FASHION ARTICLE TODAY: HER STYLISH HIGHNESS, BRITISH FASHION GETS A ROYAL BOOST

PRINCE WILLIAM REMEMBERS PRINCESS DIANA DURING HIS TOKYO VISIT

Prince William paused at several graves during his tour of the cemetery Photo: Getty Images

Upon the Prince’s arrival at the cemetery there was a picture set out of his mother laying a wreath at the same location 20 years earlier. William took a moment to view the black-and-white photo, which showed Diana wearing a navy coat as she paid her respects on February 7, 1995, before signing the book of condolences on the table.

A photo of Princess Diana was laid out showing her visit from 20 years earlier Photo: Getty Images

Often keeping the thoughts of his mother private, William opened up about his grief last year after becoming the royal patron of the Child Bereavement Charity.

“Never being able to say the word ‘mommy’ again in your life sounds like a small thing,” he said. “However, for many, including me, it’s now really just a word — hollow and evoking only memories.”

Princess Diana at the Japanese War Cemetery in 1995 Photo: Getty Images

The Duke took time to tour the cemetery before following in his mother’s footsteps and placing his own wreath at the memorial. He accompanied the arrangement with his own heartfelt message. “May we never forget all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom,” he wrote.

The Duke took a moment to view the photo of his mother Photo: Getty Images

Later that day, the 32-year-old had a more lighthearted engagement in which he helped launch the Innovation is GREAT campaign in the Tokyo district of Roppongi Hills. He then donned a traditional Japanese Happi coat and took part in a sake barrel breaking ceremony at Mori Academy. The father of Prince George then spoke about some of the dream jobs he had as a child.

Later in the day, William took part in a sake barrel breaking Photo: Getty Images

“When I was younger, I dreamt of being an astronaut,” he said. “But I also thought that I was going to be a policeman one day, as a very small boy.” And showing off his humorous side, the Prince added, “I’ve always wanted to say I’d be something like a fire breather. But that’s far too alternative. So sadly, just a policeman for me.”

Audiences were delighted to see the Prince in traditional Japanese garb Photo: Getty Images

The future king arrived in Tokyo on Thursday as part of a weeklong tour through Japan and China, a first for the royal. Also on the royal itinerary are visits to Beijing and Shanghai, where he will be highlighting British links with Japan and China and addressing issues such as innovation, trade and creativity. US HELLO

http://www.princessdianabookboutique.com

OUR SECOND PRINCESS DIANA ARTICLE TODAY IS: LADY DIANA IS SO LIKE THE QUEEN MOTHER

OUR PRINCESS DIANA ARTICLE TODAY IS FROM THE THE ROYAL ROMANCE BY AUDREY WHITING: FOR WEEKS THE WORLD HAD WAITED