You’ll feel transported back to the 20th century as you take an audiovisual journey through the life and legacy of one of the most iconic figures of the ‘90s: Diana Spencer, Princess of Wales. As an elaborate and intimate experience, the Princess Diana: Accredited Access Exhibition styles itself as the world’s first-ever walk-through documentary, coming to the Tysons Corner Center on June 8 for a limited time only.
With current locations in Toronto and now the greater Washington, DC area, the exhibition takes guests through six art installations, 145 photos, and more than 50 never-before-told stories of the People’s Princess, a moniker Diana earned thanks to her relatability and passion for helping others.
Created in October 2021, the exhibition intends to emulate the insider feeling that a documentary brings to viewers — and comes as the world prepares to commemorate the 25th anniversary of her death on August 31 of this year. Princess Diana: Accredited Access has been hailed by media and guests alike.
Lasting for approximately 60-90 minutes, the self-paced exhibition is narrated by photographer Anwar Hussein, who documented every moment of Princess Diana’s life, and his sons Samir and Zak.
Anwar, who is 83, began his career as a photojournalist covering refugees fleeing civil uprising in the Congo, and then captured music legends like Elton John and The Bee Gees in the 1960s before being named Official Royal Photographer. Samir and Zak followed in their father’s footsteps, documenting the lives of this generation’s royals and celebrities.
Together, the Hussein family shares stories and context behind world-famous images of Diana and the royals — what they witnessed in person, both in public and private, from their collective four decades of experience with Britain’s famous family.
By most accounts, Princess Diana is one of the most-photographed people in history, but some images featured here are brand new to the public. The venue will take your breath away as you journey through the princess’s emotional path through motherhood, isolation from the royal family, her philanthropic work, and her relationship with the camera — and see what made her fashion choices so revolutionary.
Anwar tells guests how Diana didn’t do what she was told to, but instead followed her heart. You’ll hear the story behind famous photographs — like Diana shaking hands with an AIDS patient in 1987, a time when it was incorrectly believed that HIV and AIDS could be transmitted through touch, and a rain-soaked Diana with famous tenor Luciano Pavarotti.
Patrons will also discover what was Diana’s favorite photo of herself, and the story behind why she cried whenever she received a rose.
Tickets for Princess Diana: Accredited Access are on sale now, and merchandise will be available on site. Located on the ground floor of the Tysons Corner Center, the exhibition is open Wednesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Feature image courtesy The Princess Diana: Accredited Access Exhibition
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