DIANA'S MEMORIAL FUND

At the time of Diana's death in 1997, a memorial fund was founded in her name which began with donations sent in by the general public. Since then, the fund has developed into a global humanitarian organisation that exists as a memorial to Diana.

From the fund's website:

Values and Inspirations

Five powerful words sum up our values:

Excellent - Passionate - Special - Accessible - Transparent

We hope these values come through strongly in all the work we do. For a global organisation, inspired by the humanitarian work of the Princess and which owes so much to the support of so many members of the public, nothing else will do.

The Birth of the Fund

On 31 August 1997, people began arriving at Kensington Palace with flowers and with envelopes containing notes and cheques. Finding the right home for the money was a difficult task, but by Monday morning, the decision had been made. A charity would be set up in the Princess’s memory. On 4th September 1997, The Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund received charitable status. The Founder Trustees - Lady Sarah McCorquodale, Michael Gibbins and Anthony Julius then set about making the idea of a living memorial to the Princess a reality.

Small sums of money from the public rapidly built up. Within days, the Fund received a huge donation from Sir Elton John and Polygram’s Candle in the Wind ’97 – an act of spectacular generosity - which assured the Fund’s future.

The Fund has been, from the start, a most unusual charity. Most charities have time to organise themselves before going out to raise money. With the Fund, the money started to arrive before a charity even existed. It continued to flow while we were finding premises, recruiting staff, and appointing new Trustees.

By January 1998 we had six new Trustees. In the following month, we reached an agreement with the Estate of Diana, Princess of Wales confirming the exclusive use of the Princess’s name in order to benefit charitable causes. By March, we announced our first round of grants, over £15.5 million to more than 100 charities. In April we were, for the first time, all housed in one place.

The pace has been relentless, but the Fund has arrived in good health and is here to stay.

THE FANLISTING

DIANA

THE SITE