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Princess Diana died in a car accident in Paris in 1997 at the age of just 36.
John Stillwell/epa/PA/dpa
A time capsule buried by Princess Diana in 1991 for a London children's hospital was unexpectedly opened. The contents provide insights into the past.
In 1991, Princess Diana buried a time capsule at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.
Originally it was not to be opened until the distant future, but it has now been brought to light ahead of schedule. The reason for the unexpected recovery is the construction of a new children's cancer center on the site where the capsule rested.
The contents of the capsule, which was sealed to mark the laying of the foundation stone for a new wing of the hospital, include a Kylie Minogue CD, a calculator and a passport from the 1990s, reports bbc.
Princess Diana was patron of the hospital at the time.
Image: dpa
These items were selected by two children who won a competition, with Princess Diana helping them choose. Other items in the capsule include a pocket television, a daily newspaper, British coins, tree seeds and a photograph of the Princess.
The opening of the capsule was witnessed by staff at the hospital who were either born in 1991 or were already working there at the time. Princess Diana, who died in a car accident in Paris in 1997, had a close connection to the hospital. She was appointed president of the hospital in 1989 and visited it regularly.
The tradition of time capsules has a long history at Great Ormond Street Hospital.
In 1872, Princess Alexandra, then Princess of Wales, laid the foundation stone for a hospital building - and left behind a time capsule that is still undiscovered today.