Tourist Shares His Incredible Run-In With Princess Diana—And the Gift She Sent Him Months Before Her Death
She kept her promise.
Princess Diana was known for her kindness and compassion, whether it was working with the homeless, comforting HIV patients or just greeting members of the public. But one tourist visiting London in early 1997 got the shock of his life when he ran into none other than Diana while he was wandering around Hyde Park—and what happened next proves she really was the People's Princess.
The story has circulated on social media over the years, most recently in the Facebook group "The Tudor Intrudors-And More," which posted on July 18: "Jim McGinnis was on holiday in London and got lost while walking through Hyde Park one morning."
Per the post, McGinnis said, "This woman was walking toward me and when I stopped and asked her for directions. I was startled when I realised it was Princess Diana. She gave me the directions and walked with me through the park towards Harrods department store." McGinnis continued that the pair chatted as they walked to Harrods and she asked him about his life and what he "did for a living."
Tourist Jim McGinnis received this signed photo back from Diana.
Princess Diana is seen speaking with fans in Chicago during a 1996 trip.
He then asked the princess for a photo. "Another woman was walking by and Princess Diana asked her to take a photo of us," McGinnis said, adding that the princess "asked me to send a copy of the photo to her."
"Jokingly, she said ‘I think you know where I live,' he continued. McGinnis did just that, mailing the photo to Kensington Palace, and to his surprise, she sent the picture back to him with her autograph, reading "With lots of love from Diana, x."
Princess Diana died on August 31, 1997, after her car was hit during a paparazzi chase in Paris—and the timing of her sweet gift was especially poignant, as McGinnis noted that he received the photo "about six months before she was killed in a car crash."
