Flashback to the 1986 Suffolk Show, when Princess Diana visited the popular agricultural event
With the Suffolk Show opening its gates today, welcoming thousands of visitors to the ever-popular two-day event, we’ve gone back through the archives to find our coverage of when a royal visitor graced the event.
It was June 1, 1986. Chris de Burgh’s hit song Lady in Red was a constant on the airwaves and Suffolk was about to welcome its own ‘lady in red’ in the form of Princess Diana, who dressed in the vibrant colour for her first visit to the county for the Suffollk Show.
The Bury Free Press reported before the event that record crowds were anticipated for Princess Diana’s visit, with the royal expected to spend around five hours at the show.
As a result the 1986 show site boasted an extra four acres of space, while a record number of trade stands – 603 – were booked and 400 showjumpers were set to be in action.
The Bury Free Press report of the day said the Princess of Wales ‘delighted bumper crowds with her humour and obvious interest in what was going on’.
Our story said: “From the moment she stepped from her bright red helicopter there were smiles all round as Suffolk people welcomed their special visitor.
“The Princess looked stunning and what is more she made sure as many people as possible had a chance to see and chat with her.
“On the first day ‘Dimania’ meant almost 57,000 people flocked to the show and organisers were bubbling over with delight.”
All those trade stands were also bubbling over with delight, as Princess fever apparently helped to keep tills ringing all over the 170-acre showground.
“But the happiest faces at the show had to be those of youngsters who the Princess singled out for a few special words,” the Bury Free Press report continued.
Nicola and Sarah Finn, then aged 17 and 15, of Mildenhall, were two of the Suffolk Red Cross members who met the Princess, along with Tracy Haste, then aged 16.
“Security was tight at the show and police kept cheering crowds behind barriers,” said the Bury Free Press report – however that did not deter young Neil Bullett, 12, of Lindisfarne Road, in Bury, who dodged plain-clothes detectives to meet the royal and gave her a cuddly seal toy for Prince Harry.
After lunch with show officials and Suffolk dignitaries, the Princess presented 18 farmworkers from across Suffolk with long-service awards.
In 1986, tickets for the Suffolk Show cost £3.50 for adults and £1.50 for pensioners and children, while car parking was £2.
