LOYAL Princess Diana mourners have this morning gathered at the gates of Kensington Palace to mark the 20th anniversary since her death.
Since the early hours, fans have been outside the Princess of Wales' former home to lay flowers, light candles and hold up touching signs as a tribute.
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Crowds gather outside Kensington Palace gates to pay tribute to the People's Princess, DianaCredit: AFP or licensors
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One of Diana's biggest fans stands dressed in a Union Jack suit and top hat with a tribute sign
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An emotional woman wipes a tear from her eye while looking at flowers and tributes left at the gates to Kensington PalaceCredit: London News Pictures
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One mourner lays flowers in front of the Flame of Liberty statue in Paris to pay homage to Lady DianaCredit: Getty Images - Getty
Two decades may have passed since her death shocked the world but her appeal remains undiminished.
Her sons the Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry have already paid tribute to their mum this week by visiting the floral tributes and pictures of the Princess left by adoring fans.
The brothers toured the site on Wednesday and laid flowers on behalf of well-wishers who had gathered to see the royals.
William and Harry also met representatives of charities their mother supported and the Prince told them how her death was a tragedy for them - as they were preparing to work with the royal - as well as his family.
He said: "I can imagine for a lot of you it was like 'right here we go, now we've got her, we've got the thirst, we've got the attention, now let's do something' then suddenly she's snapped away - if I can put it (this way) all of us lost somebody.''
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The lyrics of Candle in the Wind sung by Elton John at Diana's funeral are written at Tottenham Court Road tube stationCredit: Splash News
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A touching note written by one of Diana's biggest fans on her death anniversaryCredit: Barcroft Media
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Diana fans read condolence messages outside the PalaceCredit: Rex Features
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A fan touches the lips of Diana's picture with a kiss as she pays her respects on the 20th anniversaryCredit: AFP or licensors
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Pink heart balloons fly outside the Palace where mourners shed tears for their PrincessCredit: AFP or licensors
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The gates of Kensington Palace draped in a Welsh flag and floral tributes for the People's PrincessCredit: AP:Associated Press
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The gates of Kensington Palace draped in floral tributes for the People's PrincessCredit: Reuters
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A well-wisher has a quiet moment reading the tributes to DianaCredit: AP:Associated Press
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Photographs of the adored Princess have been hung outside the Palace by fansCredit: AP:Associated Press
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It has been 20 years since Princess Diana's deathCredit: AP:Associated Press
The Princess will also be remembered at East London's Mildmay Mission Aids hospital, visited regularly by Diana when it was a hospice caring for HIV patients.
The institution will hold a remembrance service and past members of staff will share their memories of Diana as will the hospital's patron, actress Linda Robson, and dancer Wayne Sleep who famously performed with the Princess.
Diana was a woman whose warmth, compassion and empathy for those she met earned her the description the "people's princess''.
William and Harry have spoken candidly about their mother in the run-up to the 20th anniversary of her death, describing the personal anguish they experienced and the grief they still feel.
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As they sun came up, more and more crowds began to gather to see the tributes left by adoring fans
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It has been 20 years since Diana was tragically killed in a car crash
Harry, interviewed for an ITV documentary about his mother, said: ''There's not a day that William and I don't wish that she was ... still around.
''And we wonder what kind of a mother she would be now, and what kind of a public role she would have, and what a difference she would be making.''
Former prime minister Tony Blair called Diana the ''people's princess'' on the day she died and in a magazine interview with his former spin doctor Alastair Campbell, William echoed the words of his brother.
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Adoring Diana fans hold up a floral tribute to the Princess of Wales on the anniversary of her deathCredit: AP:Associated Press
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Crowds have begun to gather outside Kensington Palace this morningCredit: Reuters
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The gates of Kensington Palace have been covered in floral tributes and messages of condolence on the 20th anniversaryCredit: AP:Associated Press
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The crowds gathered by candlelight to mark the occasionCredit: AP:Associated Press
He said: ''I think she would have carried on, really getting stuck into various causes and making change.
''If you look at some of the issues she focused on, leprosy, Aids, landmines, she went for some tough areas. She would have carried on with that.''
The brothers pause to look at tributes to the late Princess Diana on the gates outside of Kensington Palace on the eve of the anniversaryCredit: James Whatling
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Princes William and Harry look at tributes to their mum in the week following her tragic death in 1997
Prince Harry summed up the public’s abiding love for his mum Princess Diana — saying that when she died “all of us lost somebody”.
They were joined by Kate as they met officials from the many charities supported by Diana during their tour of the White Garden at Kensington Palace.
William told Royal Marsden hospital’s chief executive Cally Palmer how he and his brother are inspired by their mum’s example.
He said: “We try to follow her example in being ourselves and listening. It’s amazing what listening can do — and she was a good listener.”
Harry was told of the massive impact Diana’s loss had on causes she represented — including leprosy, Aids, homelessness and landmines.
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Princess Diana died on 31st August 1997Credit: Rex Features
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William and Harry, joined by the Duchess of Cambridge, toured the White GardenCredit: Getty Images - Getty
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William, Kate and Harry, sheltering under umbrellas, toured the White GardenCredit: Getty Images - Getty
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Princess Diana with Prince William and Prince Harry outside King Juan Carlos of Spain's holiday villa in Majorca in 1987Credit: News UK
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Diana, the Princess of Wales with her sons, Princes William and Harry
He said: “I can imagine for a lot of you it was like, ‘Right here we go, now we’ve got her, we’ve got the thirst, we’ve got the attention, now let’s do something’.
“Then suddenly she’s snapped away. If I can put it this way — all of us lost somebody.”
In the White Garden, they heard of the careful work done to transform the existing Sunken Garden into a Diana memorial, which opened in the spring.
Kate, 35, wore a floral Diana-style Prada dress as she walked through the area where the People’s Princess spent many peaceful moments.
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The revelation came as the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge met members of the English National Ballet, one of his mother’s favourite causes.
They were told that she raised so much cash for the organisation that numerous productions would not have happened without her support.
The Duchess, 35, said it could have a future ballet star in the making in Charlotte. She said: “She absolutely loves it.”
William also recalled of his mother: “She loved dancing, she was a fantastic dancer.”
The Duchess said of the transformation: “It does look really different, I love the semi wildness.”
Harry was so delighted by the garden he told staff he would like some of the plants moved to his own plot at Kensington Palace so he could tend them.
He also asked the charity officials to share some of their memories of Diana, saying: “Tell me a story about my mum.”
William told Graham Dillamore, who helped create the White Garden: “We’re thrilled - 20 years on it feels so appropriate. We used to come here a lot.”
The princes also made an unscheduled detour to see floral tributes left by the public at Kensington Palace’s gates to mark the anniversary.
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Prince William takes flowers from members of the public which he then placed amongst the floral and pictorial tributes to his late motherCredit: AP:Associated Press
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Prince William leaves tributes to Princess Diana at the gates of Kensington PalaceCredit: Rex Features
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Prince Harry places flowers taken from members of the public at the Golden Gates of Kensington PalaceCredit: AP:Associated Press
Remembering Diana
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It was a poignant echo of the heartbreaking scene 20 years ago when the bewildered young princes stood among the thousands of bouquets left at the gates.
The memories came flooding back — with William reminding his brother how in 1997 the flowers had stretched 100 yards or more to the main road.
He said: “Last time, it was all the way down.”
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Prince Harry summed up the public’s abiding love for his mum Princess Diana — saying that when she died 'all of us lost somebody'
But there was plenty of evidence yesterday that the public’s love for Diana is undimmed two decades on — evidenced by the hundreds of well-wishers who had travelled from as far away as Australia to pay their respects.
The princes laid some bouquets on behalf of people in the crowd.
Harry placed blooms for Gracie Oxby, eight, and her sister Maisy, ten, of Langdon Hill, Essex.
Gracie said: “He took the flowers and asked us who we were and where we had come from and asked us where we wanted him to lay the flowers. I’m shaking with excitement still.”
Mum Rhian, 40, added: “Their mother was just a legend — she meant so much to everybody and touched so many people.
“She is such an important figure even 20 years after her death.”
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The wreckage of Princess Diana's car in the Alma tunnel of ParisCredit: AFP
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Prince William, left, and Prince Harry pictured with their dad Prince Charles at the funeral of their mum DianaCredit: AP
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