Diana, princess of Wales was an ardent supporter of the hospital and visited us twice. She is seen holding a young patient with cancer. This picture was supposed to be her favorite. Seated to her right is Jemima Khan, Imran Khan's wife.
I think she was there in the beginning of 1996, april?
Yes and also a couple of months before she died in 1997
Josefine she was there to support and raise money for Imran Khan's Cancer Hospital. She was a friend to both Imran and his former wife Jemima. She is also known to have made a private visit to the home of Heart Surgeon Hasnat Khan in 1997. She met his family in Lahore.
As recounted in several articles with Jemima Khan in various publications like "Vogue" (July 1998--"Jemima Khan: Defining the New Glamour" and the book "Diana: Her Last Love," Diana had quite a time staying with the Khans. She did her own ironing (much to the chagrin of a butler who wished to do it for her) and was asked to autograph something while in the midst of a cold shower by same butler. She endured "graciously" the power and water going on and off as she prepared for a party the Khan's threw in her honor and said she was very cozy in their "tiny guest room." Her visit with Hasnat Khans family went well--even though word quickly got out she was there and crowds gathered. As they had tea outside, the power went out again but she was quite happy, albeit "rather quiet perhaps because she was hoping to underplay in order to appeal to Hasnat Khan's mother." Later, she loosened up a lot as she played with the children present. In the "Vogue" interview, Jemima Khan shows the writer a stunning green shalwar kameez she had had made for Diana's next visit. "While she says 'perhaps I should give it to the Trust, Jemima seems reluctant to part with it." By all accounts, Diana greatly enjoyed her visits to Pakistan and hoped her presence would help Imran Khan's efforts to maintain his cancer hospital. She particularly loved the clothing and despite her fatigue shortly after arriving at the Khan's from London, she took time to pose with the designer who created a stunning shalwar kameez for her. She was greeted with a great deal of pleasure by all who met her and was particularly cheerful, even while showering by flashlight and being asked for her autograph--which was quite something to pull off! The book stands by its premise Diana was most interested in impressing Hasnat Khan's family--and convincing them she would be good wife material for him. While they got along, it seems his mother and father, in the end, determined such a marriage would not be good for their son and expressed their feelings to him. Rather irritated Diana had not told him in advance of her arranged visit with his family, Khan told her upon her return, he was not pleased and would not see her again. He subsequently changed his mind and they resumed some sort of relationship but ended it once and for all before Diana's first trip with the al Fayed's. Her friend, Simmone Simons, recalls in her book seeing Diana pack with "panda eyes, puffy and red from crying and mascara streaming down." This book "Diana: Her Last Love" corroborates this and goes on to state various sources told the author Diana left for the trip where she was reintroduced to Dodi still determined to win Hasnat Khan back. This period of time in Diana's life is still quite mysterious and intriguing but from all I've read in the book and articles like this Vogue one, she definitely had an interest in marrying this elusive doctor--one of the few in Diana's life who continues to exhibit the class by refusing to speak of their relationship. The photos of him at her funeral are sad......one can only imagine as an esteemed heart surgeon what he must have thought of her death from an injury to the area of the body he specialized in repairing. I don't know if he has ever married. Does anyone know?
Diana and the cancer patient in her favorite photo
I have heard this was her favorite photo, too. Re: the patient, she is widely quoted as saying "He was very sensitive and while I spoke to his mother, we laughed at something. He said 'please don't laugh at me.' I knew he would die soon--and he did shortly after my visit." Subsequently, I have heard he did not die after all and is very much alive and well thanks to the treatment he received. Has anyone else heard if he survived and if Diana was misinformed? One of the sources for this story is from Diana: Her Last Love. The other is from an article published shortly after Diana's death in "Hello." (Sept. 1997--the issue devoted to covering her life).
Quote:
Originally Posted by syima
Princess Diana holding a young patient with cancer.
Source: "Diana: Her Last Love". Meeting the designer of the shalwar kameez despite jetlag then wearing same day Charles' attorneys announced details of divorce settlement. The outfit was made by Rizwan Beyg's shop in Pakistan. Jemima Khan called and together they decided it should be pale ivory with pearl beading as Diana loved pearls.
oh maryshawn, I've been looking for this picture of P Diana for years now, do you think you have it in colour by any chance? Or does anyone have it colour?
Diana made several visits to Pakistan over the course of her life. Her first visit was in Sept. 1991. It was a solo visit (Prince Charles did not accompany her).
Pictures 1&3 were taken at the officia state dinners. in number 1 sheis stood with Nawaz Sharif, the Prime-Minister at that time.
Number 5 is the Baadshai Mosque in Lahore and I believe Number 7 was taken somewhere in the Northern Areas like Gilgit or Swat.
squidgy, I'm about 80% that the second to last photograph was taken in Pakistan. I actually have the old issue of Hello that covered Diana's trip to Pakistan (somewhere) so once i find it I'll let you know for sure and I'll try and post some more photos.
love
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