Looking back at Princess Diana’s visits to Pakistan

October 16, 2019 - 10:43 BST hellomagazine.com

Princess Diana loved Pakistan: Looking back at her visits to the country

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Prince William and Duchess Kate are currently in Pakistan on a tour of the country that is taking them to many places once visited by William's late mother, Princess Diana.

The Princess of Wales travelled to Pakistan three times during her life - once in 1991, and again in 1996 and 1997. Her time there was particularly memorable and she made strong connections there to which she relied throughout her life.

Click through the gallery (or keep reading if you're on mobile) to see our favourite moments from Diana's time in Pakistan.

Photo: © Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images

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Diana visited the Badshahi Mosque, a famous Mughal-era masjid, in Lahore on her 1991 visit. She looked respectful and cool in a green Catherine Walker coat dress, which she paired with a patterned headscarf and sunglasses the scream "'90s."

Photo: © Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images

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Diana was given a special shawl with which to cover her head, and also removed her shoes while visiting the site, which was built by the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1671.

Photo: © Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images

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Diana had travelled to the country alone, without Prince Charles. She fell in love with the country.

Photo: © Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

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Diana also took a walk through Lahore.

Photo: © Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

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Known for her ease with people, Diana also visited a detox centre in Lahore, and quickly bonded with patients there.

Photo: © Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

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Later that day, Diana attended a special reception held in her honour in Lahore. Much as Kate has been with this current tour, Diana's wardrobe attracted a lot of attention during her time in Pakistan. She chose a gorgeous pink beaded Catherine Walker gown for the event. Kate has worn two Catherine Walker items on this tour already, too!

Photo: © Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images

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Diana, known for her colour block style, rocked this gorgeous red, yellow and purple ensemble in Lahore earlier in the day.

Photo: © Anwar Hussein/Getty Images

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On Sept. 26, 1991, Diana was off to Islamabad, where, like William and Kate, she visited a school.

Photo: © Anwar Hussein/Getty Images

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The princess visited the Norpoor Family Welfare Centre in the capital, where she was also given a special garland.

Photo: © Anwar Hussein/Getty Images

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Diana was overwhelmed by the reception she received in Islamabad, and was given many bouquets.

Photo: © Anwar Hussein/Getty Images

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During the same trip, Diana visited Pakistan's remote northern mountainous region, making a trip to the Khyber Pass.

For centuries, it was a major and important part of the Silk Road to China and was also an important geopolitical point of control. Everyone from Alexander the Great to Genghis Khan would cross it on expeditions into Pakistan and the Indian subcontinent.

Photo: © Anwar Hussein/WireImage

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She also spent time with members of the Khyber Rifles, now part of the Frontier Corps maintaining law and order with the border with Afghanistan, and signed a guest book at the Khyber Pass.

Photo: © Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

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Diana also visited the Sandy Gill Limb Centre and spent some more time with youngsters while she was in the north.

Photo: © Anwar Hussein/WireImage

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She also spent time with these adorable girls!

Photo: © Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images

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Diana made a trip to Chitral, where she was given a traditional Chitrali feathered cap and cloak and made an honourary member of the Chitral Scouts.

Photo: © Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images

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Diana returned to Pakistan in 1996, flying in to Lahore, where she was greated by Jemima Khan (now Goldsmith), the then-wife of cricket champion Imran Khan, who went on to become Pakistan's current prime minister.

Photo: © Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images

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Imran, who was good friends with Diana, also welcomed her at the airport. Diana was wearing a pink sharwal kameez, which she paired with flats and a matching scarf. Kate wore a similar look when she arrived in Pakistan on Oct. 14 and another blue look quite similar the next day!

Photo: © Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Imagses

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That evening, Diana went with Jemima to a Lahore restaurant for dinner.

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Imran and his father, Ikramullah Khan Niazi, were also there.

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The next day, Diana went with Jemima and Imran to Shaukat Khanum Hospital in Lahore, which was built by Imran and had just opened. The three took in a variety show, which was being held to fundraise for the centre.

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Diana, always at ease with children, bonded with two cancer patients while there.

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The mother of two spent time cuddling this adorable child.

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Diana made her final visit to Pakistan in May 1997, again flying in to Lahore. She was met there by Jemima Khan and her baby boy, Sulaiman.

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Diana's visit was specifically to help fundraise for the hospital Imran had opened, which she visited again in Lahore.

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She again bonded with children.

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Diana was dating heart surgeon Hasnat Khan at the time, who is a distant cousin of Imran. Unfortunately, the two ended their relationship about a month later.

Diana's tour wardrobe, which included this gorgeous purple and gold-embroidered shalwar kameez, seems to have greatly inspired the fashions Kate has chosen on her tour with William so far.