25th of July 1997 - St. Tropez
Laughter filled the air and Diana couldn't help but smile as she watched her children play around the pool; she lay with a drink in her hand in a sun lounger by the pool, sunglasses on her face as she relaxed.
The weather had been beautiful since they had arrived here, it was so refreshing after the dullness that had become London since her divorce; something that she hadn't seemed to be able to escape.
Diana had been campaigning for a more official role, her talks with the new prime minster, Tony Blair, they had discussed a special role for her as an overseas ambassador for Britain.
Tony Blair recognised her skills, he had asked her to undertake missions abroad for Britain and Diana had thrilled at the idea that she was important and needed again after being dismissed as it were from her royal position.
However, that could all wait until she returned from her holiday, nor did she wish to upset her gracious hosts with talk about her divorce and her role going forward.
Mohamed Al-Fayed and his wife had been so gracious to open their holiday home to her and her children, who had known both her and Charles since 1986 when they were introduced at a polo tournament sponsored by Harrods.
Diana remembered it well, she had stepped up to sit by Mohamed who had looked rather lonely in the royal box while the Queen had been distracted by her country friends.
Mohamed had reassured her that they would have nothing to worry about here, he had even for the holiday bought a 195 ft yacht, the Jonikal for the occasion that he encouraged Diana to make use of.
It was an invite that Diana hadn't wanted to refuse, a chance to slip away after everything that had happened after a few rough blows for Diana and she was eager to get away from London while she had the chance to do so.
Prince Charles was throwing a lavish birthday party for Camilla Parker Bowles at Highgrove, the house he and Diana once shared and she had just broken up with surgeon Hasnat, due to the media frenzy around their relationship.
It was the month before William, Harry and Adeline would be at Balmoral with their father and the rest of the royals, who no longer accepted her; she would be left alone for the rest of summer.
Diana was invited by Mohamed, a friend and businessman, to vacation in Saint-Tropez with her children; insisting that it was just what she needed to get away from all the drama in London, him and his wife were happy to host them.
The weather was perfect, she loved the feel of the sun on her skin and she wished that she could do this more often; to escape from miserable England and ignore all her worries in such a place like this without a care in the world.
Diana didn't want to think about how lonely she would be when her children disappeared off to Scotland with their father, her own reprieve was that she wouldn't be trapped in the Scottish countryside.
"Harry don't be so rough with your sister," Diana called spotting her younger son trying to wrestle his sister until the pool, she removed her sunglasses as she stared at him.
Adeline and William continued on with their game while Harry came sulking across the patio to sit beside his mother; she stared at him knowing that she couldn't back down, the last thing that she wanted was for his behaviour to grow even more out of control than he had been.
"Now don't look at me like that," Diana scolded him lightly, she tilted her head as she watched him, she had tried to take a firmer hand in raising her younger son even if she did continue to spoil him a little.
Harry gave her a cheeky smile after a moment before racing back to play with his siblings, it was so lovely to see them being able to be children without any care for titles or protocols that didn't matter here.
Diana turned back to her magazine, a smile on her face knowing that if she had her way that her children would be able to be more themselves than they would have a life that many royals would envy.
Perhaps if she left the UK then she would be able to afford a place that would allow her children to have their freedom in anyway that she could give it to them before the future came down upon them.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" Mohamed asked coming to sit next to Diana, he had a kind smile upon his face and he carried a refreshing drink with him; his eyes casting out over the royal children that played by his pool.
It was strange to have children around the house, he hadn't brought his younger children to this place as he saw it as a place that he could relax without his own children underfoot.
He had five children Dodi, Jasmine, Karim, Camilla and Omar; he had been married twice and he had fought for everything that he had and he had climbed his way up in the world and he had always known what he wanted.
It had all started when he had been a street vendor in Alexandria, Egypt where he had crossed paths with the Duke and Duchess of Windsor and his fascination with the royal family had begun.
He had even gone as far to hire Sydney Johnson, who had served as the Duke of Windsor's valet who had taught Mohamed British customs and etiquette as he wished to align himself with the royal family.
Mohamed had leased and restored the Windsors' villa, he had invited the Queen to visit when he had finished only for her to order the return of certain items that belonged to the Royal Collection.
"I most certainly am, and so are the children. I can't thank you enough for this," Diana said kindly, she honestly didn't know how she would have coped stuck in London; she had so few friends these days especially with them all turning on her.
Things were still awkward between her and Elton, despite the fact that they had been reunited in their grief for their murdered friend Gianni Versace who had been shot and killed in front of his Miami Beach home.
They hadn't spoken since Versace's book had come out in February with pictures of members of the royal family, including one of the Princess and the children, appeared amid a portfolio of semi-nude male models, and Diana feared that would upset the Queen.
"Yours and the children's happiness is thanks enough," Mohamed assured her with a nod of his head, he sipped on his drink and looked out across the pool; the views from his home were amazing and he had spared no expense when he had bought the villa.
Nothing was too expensive in his mind, not when he would have so much to gain once he was in the inner circle that belonged to the royal family.
It was hard to believe that he had the Princess of Wales here in his home, their meeting at the horse show all those years ago serving him well now; he was going to get what he wanted no matter what it took.
Mohamed had watched the fallout from the divorce between Charles and Diana with great interest, it had been messy and destructive as them to of them hurried mud at one another.
It had been amusing to watch and he had bided his time, it was imperative that he be the one to offer Diana exactly what she wanted.
There was sound of movement behind him, a smile on his face as he turned to wave over the man had come out of the house; he had invited him for this very reason and he knew that he would agree.
"May I introduce my son, Dodi," Mohamed stated smiling, he had promised to foot the bill forever Dodi's newest venture was if he came to France; he had insisted his eldest son be here so that he could introduce them.
Dodi might claim that he was engaged to some American model that Mohamed would never give his consent to Dodi to marry; he refused to meet this woman even after Dodi had bought her a house in Miami.
"Your Royal Highness," Dodi greeted bowing his head to Diana, he hadn't known that his father had guests; he had come straight from the airport to his father's villa.
Kelly had been rather disappointed that he had been forced to leave her behind, now Dodi understood why his father had insisted that he come alone.
"Diana is perfectly fine," Diana said with a smile, she looked at Dodi who was the image of his father and she held out her hand for him to shake.
Dodi shook her hand with no hesitation, he glanced towards his father who was grinning at the interaction between the Princess and his son; he knew that Dodi would never deny him what he desired.
Across the pool away from the grownups, Adeline came to a complete stop as she watched her mother; a pit forming in her stomach that she couldn't shake as she watched her shake hands with the man that arrived.
There was something about the innocent meeting that was taking place that made the hairs on her arms stand on end, the way that Mohamed looked at her mother as if she was some prize that he was winning.