Oil on canvas, 1990
Royal Collection, UK
Commissioned by the 13th/18th Regiment of the Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own)
As a result of the successful exhibition at the Roy Miles Gallery in 1989, I was invited to paint a formal portrait of Diana, the Princess of Wales. I met the Princess at Kensington Palace on the 1st of May, 1990. It was a very difficult time for the Princess, but from the beginning she and I found a lot in common in the subjects of art, life, and children. We spent a pleasant time together laughing and joking, and Diana was looking forward with great anticipation to see the resulting work. The painting was made to hang at the headquarters of the Royal Hussars among the portraits by the greatest artists in European history. The idea was to create a classical portrait in the same spirit. When Diana saw the painting, she was moved to tears. I heard, in great shock and horror, about her tragic death several years later. The memory of her kindness, warmth, and sympathy remains with me.
-Zohar