The '˜People's Princess' inspires embroidery

Maura McRobbie’s embroidery of Princess Diana is currently on display in an exhibition at The Lillie Art Gallery, in Milngavie, which celebrates the 60th anniversary of the guild.

Maura’s embroidery is a reproduction of a photo of Diana holding a dying child close to her on a trip to Pakistan.

Maura said: “Her eyes are closed because she was deeply moved by this child’s suffering.

“I used gold couching and bugle beads for her hair as they reminded me of her lustrous hair and also the beautiful Catherine Walker dresses she wore that were embroidered and embellished with bugle beads and silk threads.

“I hope her beauty and simplicity shines through.”

Maura also tried to emulate Diana’s signature in thread at the bottom.

She recalls meeting Princes Diana in June 1992 when she opened the Herald building and spent the afternoon at Erskine Hospital for wounded soldiers.

Maura went to Erskine Hospital with her young son and old aunt who loved Diana.

She added: “It was around the time of her divorce. She was taller, slimmer and even more beautiful than her pictures portrayed.

“Her hair was her most striking feature - glossy and golden, like a cockerel crest and without doubt, her crowning glory.

“She was simply stunning.

“She went straight to the crowd and shook hands with almost every person there.

The men shouted ‘Gie us a kiss Di’ and in a playful theatrical way, she proffered her hand on her cheek and said: ‘Go ahead’.

“She was superb. She kissed my little boy’s hand, shook my hand and my aunt’s too.

“I could see close up her eye make-up running with the heat and excitement of the day, but without ego she carried on kissing and hugging people.”