A famous actress ran into Princess Diana right near her home
American actress Lauren Lapkus recalled an unusual encounter with Princess Diana that took place when she was just 10 years old. In 1996, the girl managed to personally greet Lady Di, shake her hand, and take a few photos with a disposable camera. Afterward, Lauren and her friend were overwhelmed with emotion for a long time.
Today, Lauren Lapkus is known as an American actress, but as a child, she never imagined that one day she would meet one of the world’s most famous women right near her home. It happened on June 4, 1996, in Evanston, Illinois. Lauren was 10 years old at the time. She had heard that the Princess of Wales was coming to town, so she and her friend decided to wait for her near their home.
They were lucky enough to be close enough to Diana. The girls were able to say hello to her and shake her hand. They also took a few photos—though back then, smartphones and selfies weren’t even a thing yet.
The photos were taken with a regular disposable camera. That’s why Lapkus doesn’t have any modern selfies with the princess today, but she still has memories of that day. “I don’t have any selfies or anything like that. Back then, we used disposable cameras and things like that. My friend and I shook her hand, and then we rode our bikes around and just screamed with excitement for what felt like an eternity,” the actress said.
According to Lapkus, after the meeting, she and her friend simply hopped on their bikes and started riding around the city. Their emotions were so intense that the girls were literally screaming with joy. The actress shared this story on the Pod Meets World podcast. Many years later, she still remembers not only the meeting itself but also just how deeply Diana’s presence moved her.
What the princess looked like that day
During her trip to Evanston, Diana was wearing a mint-green skirt suit by British designer Catherine Walker. She accessorized the outfit with a pearl necklace and a black leather Chanel bag. This bag also had its own story. It was a gift to Diana from Karl Lagerfeld. Later, the princess donated the bag to a charity auction.
The proceeds from the sale were to go toward the fight against AIDS. This was in line with Diana’s charitable work; for many years, she had actively drawn attention to the issues faced by people living with HIV and AIDS and sought to combat the stigma surrounding the topic.
Why Did Diana Visit the U.S.?
The meeting with Lauren Lapkus took place during Princess Diana’s three-day trip to the United States. In 1996, she traveled to the U.S. as president of London’s Royal Marsden Hospital. The main purpose of the trip was to raise funds for cancer research and to foster international cooperation in medicine.
A significant amount was raised—over $1 million. Diana participated in meetings and events related to cancer research and spoke with doctors and scientists. In Evanston, the princess was greeted by a large crowd. She walked through the Northwestern University campus, where she was welcomed by students and local residents.
During her trip, Diana also visited the garden at the Mary and Lee Block Museum of Art. There, she viewed works by British sculptor Barbara Hepworth. The visit concluded with a private reception, where the princess spoke with breast cancer researchers, university representatives, and local politicians.
For Diana, it was a working trip focused on charity and medicine. But for little Lauren Lapkus, it was a chance encounter with someone she would remember for the rest of her life. At the time, no one knew that the girl standing among the crowd with a disposable camera would one day become a famous actress herself. Today, Lapkus looks back on that day from an adult’s perspective—but her childhood excitement from meeting Lady Di seems to have stayed with her.
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