Little Tudor Morgan-Huggett smiles and clutches his favourite toy bunny as Princess Diana tenderly strokes his leg.
The charming picture was taken at Great Ormond Street Hospital in February 1997, just months before Diana’s tragic death on August 31. Now, 25 years on, Tudor and his mother Jill recall the special moment – and how Diana even gifted them her golden heart brooch.
Jill said: “Tudor was sitting with the princess, looking around and taking it all in. Then, all of a sudden, he handed Diana his most precious thing in the whole wide world – Flopsy, his soft toy bunny. He gave it to her and everyone said, ‘Awwww’.
“The princess was wearing a small golden heart on her lapel. She was talking to Tudor and said, ‘Shall we put the heart on Flopsy?’ She did, and he took the teddy back.
“It was an incredibly sweet moment of connection between Diana and my little boy. He still has Flopsy and we still have the heart badge somewhere safe.”
Tudor, who was 18 months old when he met the princess, had spent most of his life in hospital with a rare birth defect that left him unable to breathe or swallow food safely.
Now a sport-loving 27-year-old, he told how Diana will always have a special place in his heart.
Tudor, who has a twin brother called Tyler, said: “Looking back, I was one of the lucky ones. It was a privilege to meet such a very important person on that day.
“I have watched every single thing about Princess Diana since. I’m a huge fan – the whole family are as well. We still talk about her and talk about what happened that day.
“It is amazing what she did for the country and tragic what happened in 1997. For her sons William and Harry to lose their mum was awful. I’ll be raising a glass to her on the anniversary of her death. I’ll think of how proud we are of what she did, and of meeting her.”
Diana was admired around the world for her ability to connect with people. She was the first person of her stature to publicly hug a HIV sufferer, the first to touch someone with leprosy and would spend hours with children in hospitals.
She was a patron of more than 100 charities – including Great Ormond Street Hospital – and often visited patients unannounced.
Jill, 58, told how Diana’s visit to young Tudor really demonstrated her compassion. She said: “We’ll never forget that day. We’re very privileged to have met her.
“Tudor spent most of his younger years in hospital. We would spend months at a time there so for that to happen was amazing. It lifted all of our moods.
“We didn’t know she was coming until the day before. A lady came and asked us if it would be OK if we met this very important person. We were all speculating who it could be – a film star? A politician?
“The princess was wonderful. She sat with us for about half an hour. She was very interested in the fact I had to leave my children back in Chepstow and how hard it must be, being away from home.
“It was such a boost for a mum going through so much. It was just like two mums having a cosy chat over a coffee. She told us about Prince William having a toy like Flopsy, called Kanga.
“She was rubbing Tudor’s leg and spoke to him how a mother talks to a child. She was very tender with him. Even at that young age, Tudor realised something special was happening. He was so happy.
“He kept smiling at her because she was very gently talking to him. It was amazing. An absolute honour. She gave off this wonderful warmth. She was stunning.”
Months later, Diana was killed in a car crash at the age of 36 alongside her lover Dodi Fayed, 42, in Paris.
Charities such as Great Ormond Street Hospital received millions in the aftermath, with Dodi’s dad Mohamed Al-Fayed reportedly giving £6.8million. Tudor was born with tracheo-oesophageal fistula atresia, which is where the windpipe and gullet are not properly connected.
As a baby, he had 27 cardiac arrests and needed oxygen 24 hours a day until he was 11.
He has endured 97 operations during his lifetime, but now loves playing cricket and football and works as a service administrator for a forklift company.
Tudor, who lives near Exeter in Devon, said: “Life is good. They say I’m a miracle. My condition doesn’t stop me enjoying life. I take each day as it comes and try to be the best person I can be.
“Diana was famous for her charity work, and that inspired me to be actively involved with charities too. I’ve run a half marathon to raise money and we just held a golf tournament. It is important to us as a family, inspired by the princess.”
Jill added: “I will be thinking of Diana on the anniversary of her death. We were one of the chosen ones, lucky enough to have met her. We will be thinking of her family… her boys. She was a special woman.”
