To commemorate the 20th anniversary of her tragic death, the Royal Society of Portrait Painters are releasing the portraits of Diana by its President Richard Foster PRP and member June Mendoza AO OBE RO ROI.

In a statement Richard Foster (see his portrait of Diana below) says:

'Time flies and it is 31 years since this portrait of The Princess of Wales was painted for The Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow after she took over as Patron from Princess Alexandra.

'Sittings took place in the Drawing Room at Kensington Palace and were spread over several months. There was a week in February set aside for me to paint the background on my own which was postponed. Normally a bit inconvenient, it was most welcome as there was thick snow and I was able to do several snow scenes including one of Kensington Palace from the Round Pond. Snow waits for no man!

'She was very young at the time and I tried to bring out the youth and shyness. I will never forget meeting her, she was so beautifully turned out.

'The final sitting was just before Easter and she gave my children a box of chocolates. They knew nothing of the portrait before that and they were suitably excited by it all!

On the day of her funeral twelve years later we planted an oak tree.'

In a statement June Mendoza (see her portrait of Diana below) says:

'It was the Worshipful Company of Grocers who commissioned my portrait of the Princess of Wales.

'This we did at Kensington Palace and after Diana and I browsed though her wardrobe of long dresses (great fun!), we chose the red one, and set up easel, canvas and Diana in front of a large tapestry as background.

'As to what we chatted about I, as usual, have very little recall as concentration is on the painting which has, reasonably enough with the royals, limited hours of sittings available to it. But I had full, informal and easy co-operation with this, then, young woman, who, when I had extra background days and didn't need her, left, bless her, her previous night's bouquet for me. Thoughtful gestures.'