Here we revisit some memorable photos from the Oxford Mail’s archive showing photos from the early 1990s.

During those years Princess Diana made a number of visits to the county, strongman Geoff Capes showed up, and John Durnin played for the U’s in a 3-1 against Chelsea.

Princess Diana's first solo visit to the county was in December 1983 when she opened Wantage adult training centre for the handicapped.

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Cheering, flag-waving crowds, including all 180 pupils at Charlton primary school, turned out to greet her as her red helicopter landed on the school playing field.

In February 1985, she visited Sir Michael Sobell House at the Churchill Hospital, Oxford.

Two hundred patients greeted the Royal visitor, who told one of them that young Prince William was involved in “all kinds of mischief”.

When Dora Jones, of Abingdon, presented her with a toy elephant for Prince Harry, the Princess told her that she doubted that “Prince Harry would get the chance to play with it with Prince William around”.

The Princess was back in Oxford in January 1986 visiting the John Radcliffe Hospital. She was shown the delivery suite before moving on to the special care nursery.

In October, she was in Oxford again, opening the Harris Birthright Centre at the John Radcliffe Hospital, which researched medical problems of babies.

She presented prizes to three winners of a poetry competition on babies - Jo Steer, eight, of Templar Road, Oxford, Lisa Spicer, nine, of Hill Close, Charlbury, and Holly Roberts, seven, of Enstone Road, Westcote Barton.

She finished her scheduled hour-long tour of the new £500,000 building 15 minutes early.

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In December 1986, Diana took Oxford by surprise when she arrived for a family get-together. She watched her brother, Viscount Althorp, get his Oxford University degree at the Sheldonian Theatre. Earlier, staff at La Sorbonne restaurant in High Street were stunned when the family dropped in for lunch.

The Princess opened the Oxsrad sports centre pavilion in Marsh Lane, Marston, and Glebe House old people’s home in Mill Street, Kidlington, in August 1989 and later that year, attended a dinner at Blenheim Palace, in aid of Sir Michael Sobell House.

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Oxford Mail:

On February 6, 1990, she packed four engagements into a hectic five-hour schedule in Oxford, visiting the Chilton clinic for alcoholics at the Warneford Hospital, Oxfam headquarters in Summertown, Townsend House old people’s home at Headington and the Relate offices in Iffley Road.

Another hectic day followed in November 1990 when she visited the Deaf Centre in St Ebbe’s, Ormerod School, Headington, and the John Radcliffe Hospital, where she opened a new £4m scanner.

Her last official visit to Oxford was in May 1993 when she dropped into a support centre for low-income families in Didcot, took a walkabout in Catte Street, and celebrated Oxford Brookes University’s promotion from polytechnic to university.

After her death in a road accident in Paris on August 31, 1997, the Oxford Mail produced a special edition - only the fourth time it had published on a Sunday in its 70-year history.

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About the author 

Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here. 

He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.

His Trade and Tourism newsletter is released every Saturday morning. 

You can also read his weekly Traffic and Transport newsletter.