Princess Diana With Princes William and Harry skiing In Lech, Austria. Photo / Getty Images)
Princess Diana With Princes William and Harry skiing In Lech, Austria. Photo / Getty Images)
With the 20th anniversary of her death fast approaching, Eli Orzessek tracks down Princess Diana's favourite holiday spots, where you can go to remember her life
Lech, Austria
Princess Diana was an enthusiastic annual visitor of this exclusive five-star ski resort, which is also a favourite of the Jordanian royalfamily, the Dutch royal family and Monaco's Princess Caroline. Located in the Austrian Alps, Lech is linked with its twin village Zurs and the two have no fewer than six five-star and 50 four-star hotels between them. It's a great spot for beginner and intermediate skiers, with gentle slopes that William and Harry started out on. And for the ultimate in luxury, the chair lift seats are heated.
Where to stay:Hotel Goldener Berg, Lech for an affordable stay with priceless mountain views.
Barbuda was a favourite winter holiday spot for Diana and her sons, who often stayed at the K-Club luxury beach resort. This remote paradise was less well-known than other islands in the Caribbean, providing a discrete escape zone for the princess. The island that was once her sanctuary paid tribute to her after her death, renaming a stretch of pink sandy beach in her honour. Today, it's a tourist attraction, as cruise ship passengers flock to Princess Diana Beach on the southern end of the island.
This island was the destination for Diana's first holiday with William and Harry after she separated from Prince Charles in 1992. They stayed at the Montpelier Plantation Inn and were pictured body boarding at the beach. The young princes also spent time racing cane toads and playing cricket on the secluded shores. More rugged than its neighbours, Nevis provided a perfect respite at a particularly public time for the princess.
Montpelier Plantation Inn, Nevis.
Where to stay: Check in at the Montpelier Plantation Inn, a Relais & Chateaux property named among the top resort hotels in the Caribbean by Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveller. A Tripadvisor reviewer writes "If it was good enough for Princess Diana ... "
Necker, British Virgin Islands
Diana was one of the first famous faces to be spotted on Richard Branson's private 30ha Caribbean island, Necker. She first visited in 1989, with William and Harry, and the family was welcomed back by Branson on more than one occasion. Diana also visited with her mother, sisters and their children - all enjoying meals cooked by a private chef and long days relaxing on the beach. Years later, Prince Harry visited again for his friend Sam Bronson's 27th birthday.
Where to stay: The island is available to be booked as a whole for up to 34 adults. Or during selected weeks of the year, you can book an individual room for week-long stays and share the island with other guests. It won't come cheap — rates start from $41,000 per couple.
Majorca, Spain
Prince Charles, the princess and William and Harry were first invited to the Spanish island of Majorca by King Juan Carlos in 1986, in a bid to improve relations between the two monarchies. The family stayed at the opulent Marivent Palace, the Spanish royal family's summer residence in Cala Major. The two families would enjoy the tourist activities of the island, such as the Copa del Ray regatta, the island of Cabrera and the Marineland waterpark.
Majorca. Photo/ 123RF
Where to stay: You're probably not going to get into Marivent Palace, but you can still stay in luxurious surroundings. Try Castillo Hotel Son Vida, a historic 13th-century hillside estate turned hotel with panoramic views out to the coast.
Buckingham Palace exhibition. London
Royal fans visiting London will no doubt already have a trip to Buckingham Palace on their lists. This summer, it's an even bigger drawcard, with a new exhibit commemorating Diana's life and legacy. The display recreates her Kensington Palace sitting room, including her desk, her wooden school trunk and ballet shoes — all chosen by her sons William and Harry. You can also scrutinise her cassette collection which includes offerings by Elton John — who rearranged his song Candle in the Wind for her funeral — along with Dire Straits, Duran Duran, Verdi, Pavarotti and the soundtrack to Bette Midler's Beaches.
Items on the desk from the Kensington Palace sitting room of Diana, Princess of Wales on show during a preview for the Royal Gifts exhibition. Photo / Getty Images
Where to stay: The historic St Ermin's Hotel, built upon the site of a 15th-century chapel, and the base of Winston Churchill's Special Operations Executive who carried out covert operations during World War II. Walking distance to Buckingham Palace, St James' Park, and Westminster Abbey where Diana's funeral was held, it's also rumoured a tunnel runs from underneath the grand staircase in the lobby all the way to the Houses of Westminster.
Balmoral, Scotland
Also popular with the Queen and Prince Philip, who holiday there every summer, Balmoral Castle in the Scottish Highlands looks like something straight out of a fairytale. Charles and Diana honeymooned there, and when William and Harry were young, their parents would take them to Balmoral every summer for a taste of the outdoors. The family would spend their time hiking, playing hide and seek, sailing on the river and having barbecues and picnics.
19th August 1981, Prince Charles and Diana in the grounds of Balmoral Castle, Scotland whilst on their honeymoon. Photo / Getty Images
Where to stay: Unless you've got an in with the Royals, you're going to need to stay near Balmoral Castle, not in it. Morven Lodge Guest House is in the old Victorian Spa village of Ballater in Royal Deeside, close to the castle and a haven for walkers, skiers, golfers, fishing and shooting.
