• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia
LeadershipMost Powerful Women

5 Ways to Honor Princess Diana’s Legacy

By
Valentina Zarya
Valentina Zarya
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Valentina Zarya
Valentina Zarya
Down Arrow Button Icon
August 31, 2017, 11:25 AM ET

Princess Diana died 20 years ago Thursday, but her memory is being kept alive in a number of ways.

Some well-wishers have left notes and flowers at the gates of Kensington Palace, while others are visiting memorials built in her honor—including the Diana Memorial Playground, also at Kensington Palace; Hyde Park’s Diana Memorial Fountain; and the Diana Memorial Walk at St. James’s Park.

For those who are not in London—but who still want to honor her in some way, one option is to donate to one of the many causes she cared about.

The Princess of Wales, known as the “people’s princess,” earned that nickname thanks to the breadth of her charity work; over the course of her lifetime, she was involved with more than 100 charities. Here are five causes she cared deeply about:

Subscribe to The Broadsheet, Fortune‘s daily newsletter about the most powerful women.

1. Changing the world’s perception of HIV and AIDS

One of the most famous photos of the princess was one in which she shook hands with HIV-positive patients without wearing gloves. Through that simple action, she challenged the notion that disease is transferable through touch and highlighted that people with the disease are, well, people. She was a patron of The National Aids Trust, a U.K.-based organization whose mission is to champion the rights of people living with HIV.

2. Removing the remnants of war

Diana was also a patron of HALO Trust, an organization whose main mission is to remove unexploded landmines. Her support of the issue is seen as having had an influence in the signing of the Ottawa Treaty, which banned the use of anti-personnel landmines.

3. Providing housing for homeless youth

The Princess of Wales was a supporter of the U.K.’s young homeless population and frequently spoke out on their behalf. She supported Centrepoint, a non-profit that provides housing and support for young people in London, Manchester, Yorkshire and the North East and through partnerships all over the U.K.

4. Fighting the stigma surrounding mental illness

During a speech for Turning Point in 1990, a mental health-focused nonprofit, she said, “It takes professionalism to convince a doubting public that it should accept back into its midst many of those diagnosed as psychotics, neurotics and other sufferers who Victorian communities decided should be kept out of sight in the safety of mental institutions.” Along with Turning Point, she was a benefactor of Relate, a provider of relationship support.

5. Treating cancer—especially in children

Diana served as president of The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, a charity that raises funds for The Royal Marsden, a cancer treatment hospital in London. She opened the Wolfson Children’s Cancer Unit there in 1993 and launched her own children-focused cancer charity, now known as Children with Cancer UK.

About the Author
By Valentina Zarya
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon

Latest in Leadership

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • Future 50
  • World’s Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
Sections
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Success
  • Tech
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Environment
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Health
  • Retail
  • Lifestyle
  • Politics
  • Newsletters
  • Magazine
  • Features
  • Commentary
  • Mpw
  • CEO Initiative
  • Conferences
  • Personal Finance
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
About Us
  • About Us
  • Editorial Calendar
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Diversity And Inclusion
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in Leadership

EconomyJob seekers
The job market is so tough white-collar workers are ‘reverse recruiting,’ shelling out thousands to get headhunters to find them their next role
By Molly Liebergall and Morning BrewFebruary 10, 2026
3 hours ago
shopper
BankingFood and drink
Meat snacks have emerged as the clear winner in America’s seismic GLP-1 consumption shift, while popcorn is down
By Nick LichtenbergFebruary 10, 2026
4 hours ago
C-SuiteNext to Lead
Why GM’s supply-chain chief sees suppressed dissent as a business risk
By Ruth UmohFebruary 10, 2026
4 hours ago
lutnick
PoliticsWhite House
Lutnick admits travel to Epstein island, downplays relationship
By Catherine Lucey, Matt Shirley and BloombergFebruary 10, 2026
5 hours ago
Salesforce founder and CEO Marc Benioff on stage, scowling.
AIEye on AI
AI agents from Anthropic and OpenAI aren’t killing SaaS—but incumbent software players can’t sleep easy
By Jeremy KahnFebruary 10, 2026
6 hours ago
A woman sits in front of her laptop, holding her hand to her head
AIthe future of work
In the workforce, AI is having the opposite effect it was supposed to, UC Berkeley researchers warn
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezFebruary 10, 2026
7 hours ago

Most Popular

placeholder alt text
Economy
America borrowed $43.5 billion a week in the first four months of the fiscal year, with debt interest on track to be over $1 trillion for 2026
By Eleanor PringleFebruary 10, 2026
14 hours ago
placeholder alt text
C-Suite
Meet Jody Allen, the billionaire owner of the Seattle Seahawks, who plans to sell the team and donate the proceeds to charity
By Jake AngeloFebruary 9, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
AI
As billionaires bail, Mark Zuckerberg doubles down on California with $50 million donation
By Sydney LakeFebruary 9, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Economy
China might be beginning to back away from U.S. debt as investors get nervous about overexposure to American assets
By Eleanor PringleFebruary 9, 2026
2 days ago
placeholder alt text
Success
Super Bowl champion Sam Darnold says his plumber dad played with him every day after work, no matter how tough his day was—and that taught him resilience
By Emma BurleighFebruary 9, 2026
1 day ago
placeholder alt text
Personal Finance
Current price of silver as of Monday, February 9, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerFebruary 9, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.