Rare photos of Princess Diana from school days to be auctioned

A collection of rare photographs capturing Princess Diana during her school days is set to go up for auction, offering the public an intimate look at her life before she became a global icon. The images, sourced from the private archive of her friend Katherine Hanbury, who attended West Heath school with Diana, showcase a relaxed princess in her dormitory and with friends.

Albert Radford, an expert at Gorringe's auction house, highlighted the unique nature of this collection. "This intimate archive offers a rare glimpse of Diana, Princess of Wales, before duty and fame had the last word," he stated. "We see her as a young woman full of hope, spontaneous and not yet shaped by the institution that would define her life."

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This intimate archive offers a rare glimpse of Diana, Princess of Wales, before duty and fame had the last word. We see her as a young woman full of hope, spontaneous and not yet shaped by the institution that would define her life.

These newly revealed photos add to recent discoveries that shed light on the princess's life. This includes a powerful black-and-white portrait by David Bailey, kept in his archive for decades, and images from her 1997 humanitarian trip to Angola. During that trip, Diana firmly defended her anti-landmine advocacy, declaring, "I am a humanitarian figure, I always have been and I always will be."

Each new revelation contributes another layer to the portrait of the beloved princess, whose legacy continues to resonate.

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I am a humanitarian figure, I always have been and I always will be.