Diana in Pakistan
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?