She was the superstar princess who was always far more famous than any of the A-listers she counted among her friends.
Diana was known for her ease with ordinary people, but many of those she brought into her inner circle were world-famous legends in their own right, from John Travolta to Elton John.
And many remained close to her sons after her death 25 years ago next week, including Sir Elton.
She first met him at Prince Andrew’s 21st birthday party and he performed a touching tribute at her funeral.
George Michael also counted the Princess among his most trusted friends. He once remembered how he and Diana had “clicked in a way that was a little bit intangible”, adding: “Diana was the only person that I knew who made me feel like an ordinary person.”
Liza Minnelli also once said she was “lucky enough to count Princess Di as a friend”.
She recalled: “My instinct was to protect her. All my life I’ve had people bowing and scraping. Well, Princess Di got used to people bowing and scraping. So it was a relief to both of us that we could just be ourselves around each other.”
Good pal Freddie Mercury is also said to have seen Diana at her most relaxed.
Actress Cleo Rocos said the singer once dressed the Princess up as a gay man and smuggled her into the famous Royal Vauxhall Tavern where they were “giggling and nudging each other like naughty schoolchildren” at the success of their ruse.
A style icon, she struck up friendships with the great and good from the fashion world, including Gianni Versace, whose outfits were among her favourites to wear.
She attended the Italian designer’s funeral – just six weeks before her own untimely death – where she was seen comforting her friend, Elton John.
But there were also times when, despite her fame, Diana found herself starstruck. At a White House gala in 1985 she told First Lady Nancy Reagan that it was her “fantasy” to dance with Grease star John Travolta, another of the guests.
The actor was happy to oblige, later recalling: “It was a storybook moment. We bowed when it was over, and you know, she was off, and I was off, and my carriage turned into a pumpkin.”
