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Princess Diana and Mother Teresa 2007 stamps Ascension Island

Two remarkable women on postage stamps

The stamps of Ascension Island are produced in sheetlets of eight. A very attractive photograph of Princess Diana, Princess of Wales appears in the border. The FDC depicts Princess Diana during her visit to Leicester in May 1997.

Traumatic year

The year 1997 was a traumatic year for so many people around the world. Two iconic people, Diana, Princess of Wales and Mother Teresa of Calcutta died within days of each other. In New York the media claimed that Mother Teresa died of massive heart failure brought on by the grief she suffered because of the death of her friend, Princess Diana, with whom she shared so much in common.
In fact it is hard to imagine how two women could be more different. Coming from opposite sides of the world their lives were truly worlds apart. One was a young mother, beautiful, tall and Protestant; the other elderly, diminutive and Catholic. Yet suddenly, in 1997, their similarities seemed more obvious than their differences. When Mother Teresa learnt of Diana's tragic death it is said that she immediately sent a condolence message. "She was very concerned for the poor. She was very anxious to do something for them. That is why she was close to me."

Media attention

Both lived with the constant attention of the media and understood how this could enable them to reach a worldwide audience for their charitable works; yet both remained able to reach out to individuals with respect and dignity, providing real comfort to the suffering and their families. Mother Teresa had written to Diana in 1991 and their first meeting was to have been in London for the presentation of an award, but it was called off because of Mother Teresa's poor health. In fact they first met in February 1992 at Mother Teresa's convent in a working-class district in Rome, where they prayed together. In loving memory of these two remarkable ladies, so different in age and background yet so similar in their wish to help those who suffered, a single stamp has been released which depicts this first meeting. Their final meeting was in June 1997 when the two met privately and then embraced as Princess Diana left the Missionaries of Charity house in the Bronx.

Admiration for Princess Diana

The tragic death of Princess Diana, Princess of Wales on 31st August 1997 elicited the most public global mourning for an individual since the death of President John F. Kennedy. During her lifetime Diana was a role model to her admirers who respected her sense of style, charisma and humor and marveled at her high profile charity involvement. Princess Diana possessed the gift to reach out and touch those who suffer and used her influential status to positively assist an array of charitable projects including her campaigning against landmines. For this cause the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1997. Her efforts to change the public opinion of AIDS sufferers were widely admired.
Princess Diana's involvement and dedication to such causes often drew an analogy with that of Mother Teresa of Calcutta who founded the Missionaries of Charity. Adhering to the vows of chastity, poverty and obedience, Mother Teresa and other member nuns of the Catholic religious order offered their wholehearted support ministering to the needs of the poor, sick, orphaned and dying in both India and across other continents.

Mother Teresa

In 1971 HH Pope Paul VI honored Mother Teresa by awarding her the first Pope John XXIII Peace Prize. The following year the Government of India presented her with the Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding. In 1979 she received her greatest award, the Nobel Peace Prize. Mother Teresa accepted her awards on behalf of the poor, using any money that accompanied them to fund her centers. Following her deteriorating health, she died on 5th September 1997, nine days after her 87th birthday and on the eve of Diana's funeral. At opposite sides of the world, both were to receive State Funerals.

Stamp issue

The stamps of Ascension Island have a denomination of 50p and are produced in sheetlets of eight. A very attractive photograph of Princess Diana, Princess of Wales (taken in Hong Kong) appears in the border. The FDC depicts Diana during her visit to Leicester, to formally open The Richard Attenborough Centre for Disability and Arts, 27 May 1997.

Technical details of the postage stamps

Issue: Ascension Island, 31 August 2007
Artist: Jason Witchard
Stamp & FDC image: PA Photos
Selvedge image: Rex Features
Print: Lithography by BDT International Security Printing
Perforation: 14 per 2cms
Stamp size: 28.45 x 42.58mm