Diana ‘spent her evenings eating beans on toast and watching EastEnders’, recalls former Red Cross president

Princess of Wales was an ‘approachable’ and ‘relaxed’ person, says former president of British Red Cross

She may have been one of the most famous women in the world, but Diana, Princess of Wales, also took pleasure in simple home comforts – including eating beans on toast and watching EastEnders, according to memories of a charity leader.

Diana’s creature comforts were revealed by Edith Conn, former president of the British Red Cross, who met the princess at a charity event in 1991 at the Manchester Art Gallery.

As Prince William and Prince Harry prepare to unveil a statue to honour their mother on what would have been her 60th birthday, Conn remembered her meeting with the princess.

She said: “She told me how highly she thought of the Red Cross and the wonderful work we do. And then we just chatted really.

“She was so approachable because she was so relaxed. When someone is relaxed, you relax with them, and it just made the whole experience better.”

Conn, 72, added: “I said ‘Ma’am, what do you do now? Do you have anywhere to be?

“And to my surprise she said ‘I’m going home tonight. I’m having beans on toast and watching EastEnders!’ I thought that was so funny.”

Diana was a firm supporter of the humanitarian charity and became a patron of the Red Cross Youth in 1983. She went on to become a vice president of the British Red cross in 1993 and two years later, became patron of the charity’s 125th Birthday Appeal.

A diary entry by Eileen Nicol, who was chairwoman of the British Red Cross-run Activenture holiday camp for children with disabilities in Sussex, described Diana’s “compassion” and affection for youngsters.

After meeting the princess in 1985, Ms Nicol wrote: “The Princess of Wales was charming. She has so much compassion for the children. She spoke to every one of them and got right down on the ground to look at a collage and to speak to the little ones.

“It rained, but that didn’t seem to matter. She asked me how I got away with not wearing a hat. She hates hers. She wanted to know how I raise the money for the holiday. She’d certainly done her homework.”

Ms Nicol, 87, recalled 36 years later how the princess admitted she would have liked her job.

“She spoke to every one of us and she spoke so well. The children loved her, and she loved the children. She told me she wished she had my job,” she said.

Mehzebin Adam, curator at the British Red Cross, paid tribute to Diana’s charity work and said the princess was a “dedicated humanitarian” throughout her life.

“From making connections with young people in her role as patron of the Red Cross Youth, to campaigning against landmines, she was one of our most dedicated supporters, using her public profile to make positive change,” said Adam.

“The impact of her work is not only remembered on what would have been her 60th birthday, but continues to have a lasting impact today.”