One of Diana’s closest friend has paid tribute to the ‘wonderful’ Princess on the twentieth anniversary of her death.
Rosa Monckton shared a close bond with the Princess after meeting in 1991 and chose her as godmother to her daughter Domenica who has Down’s syndrome.
Now, 20 years after she was killed in a Paris car crash, Ms Monckton, who was one of the last people to see Diana alive, has paid tribute to her ‘incredible friend’.
She told The Times that while she was shocked by the Princess’s tragic death in August 1997, she was relieved to know Diana was finally at peace because ‘her life was such a turmoil’.
Princess Diana with Rosa Monckton, turning on the Bond Street Christmas lights in London in 1993. Monckton has paid tribute to her ‘wonderful’ friend on the 20th anniversary of her death
Diana offered to be godmother for Rosa’s daughter Domenica (pictured here at her christening in 1991) and proved to be extremely hands-on
Ms Monkton, a jeweller, also revealed that she, Diana and mutual friend Flecha de Lima called themselves ‘The Three Musketeers’ and even wore matching brooches.
The brooches – commissioned by Monckton herself – are in the shape of a cloak and dagger, symbolising the fun they had avoiding the glare of the flashbulbs together on secret holidays to Bali and Greece.
De Lima, wife of the Brazilian ambassador to the UK, first introduced Monckton to Diana after observing that she appeared to be ‘incredibly unhappy’ and could do with cheering up.
She told the newspaper: ‘The reason our friendship was so strong was because she was so needy at that time. It was straight into, ‘I’m so unhappy, I don’t know what to do.’
She also recalled the moment Diana had offered to be godmother to her daughter Domenica, who was born with Down’s syndrome, saying: ‘She was a really hands-on godmother. Extraordinarily.
Ms Monkton, a jeweller, revealed that she, Diana and mutual friend Flecha de Lima called themselves ‘The Three Musketeers’ and even wore matching brooches (pictured here at the Tiffany & Co summer party in 1993)
Rosa with daughter Domenica, who has Down’s syndrom, on a BBC documentary. Rosa revealed: ‘I was very blessed with her support, because it was not easy at the beginning’
Rosa with husband Dominic Lawson at Diana’s 2008 inquest. She told the newspaper: ‘The reason our friendship was so strong was because she was so needy at that time. It was straight into, ‘I’m so unhappy, I don’t know what to do’
Rosa, who is chair of the Memorial Fountain Committee unveils the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain in Hyde Park
‘I was very blessed with her support, because it was not easy at the beginning.’
When another daughter, Natalia, was stillborn, Diana arranged to have her buried in the gardens at Kensington Palace.
Earlier this week, Ms Monckton’s husband Dominic Lawson wrote in the Mail that he had urged Diana not to accept Mohamed Al Fayed’s invitation to holiday with him and his family in the south of France.
He recalled: ‘My wife’s view — and that of other close friends — was that Diana’s affair with Dodi was chiefly designed to ‘show’ Hasnat, and perhaps to win him back.’