Diana was the guest of honor at the gala ball. She wore an ivory shalwar kameez - silk pants and tunic. Count Paolo Filo Della Torre told the press: "It was quite a moving occasion. She talked about the hospital and she seemed very relaxed. She was looking beautiful and seemed very pleased to be there." The hospital was built in memory of Imran Khan's mother who died of cancer in 1985. Diana stayed until 12:45am and spent most of the night with close friend Jemima, the daughter of Sir James and Lady Annabel Goldsmith. Qawwali legend Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan was specially flown in from Pakistan to attend the Imran Khan Cancer Appeal.
By July 1996, Diana had well and truly evolved into a super royal. Her future role, though, remained uncertain. There was no precedent for Diana's new role as there never had been a royal divorcee who once could claim to one day being queen of England - the premier place in the royal hierarchy. As understood, it was not easy being a star royal but Diana had all the credentials: an aristocratic pedigree, a country estate upbringing, mixing with the Royal Family from an early age, she was the nice little rich girl next door.
In examining Diana following her 1995 TV interview, Huddersfield University professor Pauline Stafford, then 49, whose publications included 'The King's Wife In The Middle Ages' and 'Emma And Edith, Queens And Queenship In The 11th Century' believed Diana's best parallel was Queen Caroline of the early 19th century (who was married George IV). Contrast to Diana was Margaret Thatcher or Golda Meir.
"Margaret Thatcher is completely the opposite (of Diana). She came to power through election. Diana gets her power through her family roles as a wife and mother. Diana is presenting herself (in the TV interview) as the mother of a future king. Certainly if we look into the past these have been among the most powerful women - Elizabeth I for example. Motherhood is always a great source of power for women. A very underestimated source of power.
"Diana talks about herself as the mother of a nation. A lot of very powerful women have presented themselves that way. Queen Emma of the 11th century and German empress Adelaide of the 10th century both presented themselves as mothers of the nation and it worked. Adelaide was one of the most powerful women in medieval European history. The royal family's influence depends on how popular they are in the country. Diana has got that popularity by playing on her femininity and maternal side.
"She represents the feminine side of the monarchy. We have had a very feminine monarchy for a long time, that is probably one of the reasons it has survived ... The monarchy has never been so open. It has never quite been the soap opera that it has been over the past 20 or 30 years (or since the 1970s). And very few women have gone as public as she has. She was taking a big risk. The interview was a very clever step in some kind of power game. I think she has defined her position."
Given Diana's superstar status at the time, there was suggestion she may consider a parliamentary future by standing for election as a Member of Parliament in 1997. As suggested, no longer being addressed as Her Royal Highness would see many doors closed but others would open. Diana could choose careers that would have been unthinkable for a fully fledged royal and a job which would maintain her public profile, would contribute to Britain's well being and would give Diana a platform for her views on social issues of the day.
Diana was determined to continue her fund-raising charity work in Britain and abroad, and to travel the world in the media spotlight as she also had access to the Royal Squadron Flights for official air travel.
Political correspondent Chris Gray believed the choice of party would be a difficult one for Diana - Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the Conservatives (or Tories), or the fringe parties.
As pointed out, the rough and tumble of parliamentary life would be too much for Diana in the end. Diana would not be the type of MP who would sit in the House of Commons until the early hours to demand a minor change to an obscure amendment on an uncontroversial piece of legislation. The work of the Government could be complex and detailed and often extremely dull.
Buckingham Palace: "As she will be regarded as a member of the Royal Family, the Princess will, from time to time, receive invitations to state and national public occasions, as for any other member of the Royal Family, at the invitation of the Sovereign or the Government. The Princess's public role will essentially be for her to decide.
"However as for any other member of the Royal Family, any representational duty, whether Royal or national, at home or abroad, will only be undertaken at the request of the Sovereign, acting where necessary on the advice of ministers. It has been agreed that her style and title will be Diana, Princess of Wales. She, may retain any orders, insignia and other titles, consistent with her being known as Diana, Princess of Wales."
Diana's honours included the Royal Family Order, Egypt's Order of Al Kamal and the Grand Cross of the Order of the House of Orange.
Robert Hartman, 'The Daily Telegraph': "The Government refrained from commenting on what it regards as a private matter. Lambeth Palace issued a statement on behalf of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The title Diana, Princess of Wales is unusual in that the Christian name is not normally used except to avoid confusion. Because of the exceptional circumstances of this divorce, and global recognition of the princess's Christian name, the convention has been set aside."
