Today is the 10th anniversary of Princess Diana's tragic death:

She had beauty, she was a natural with children and she had a shy charm

Can there ever again be a woman like Princess Diana? Certainly, there has been none since who has even come close.

Incomparable to today's so-called stars like Victoria Beckham and Kate Moss, Diana had depth, and she was dedicated to helping others.

Materially rich, she cared for the poor and did much of her humanitarian work away from the cameras.

From her engagement at the age of 19 she got a taste of the flashbulbs that would hound her right to the bitter end in that Paris underpass.

But immediately she won the hearts of the nation with the magnetism she possessed - something that she just had.

Even that famous photograph of her at the nursery where she worked said so much - she had beauty, she was a natural with children and she had a shy charm.

The wedding itself displayed an extravagance fit for a future king and queen and was nothing less than the public expected.

While 20-year-old Diana's dress was the ultimate meringue, she was radiant and looked every inch a princess. Even Charles looked happy, despite his unfortunate comment 'whatever love means' when asked on the official announcement of the couple's engagement if they were in love.

Thrown into a life of official engagements, Diana was perfect for the role. For someone who was not used to this way of life (who would be?), she drew people to her and was able to engage them in easy conversation.

She was a natural whether visiting a retirement home, a hospice or dancing with John Travolta, a princess born for the role.

She was also born to the role of mother. Watching the look of pride on her face when leaving William off at kindergarten for the first time, or the boundless joy on her and both boys' faces during their rides on rollercoasters, there is no doubt that her most cherished moments were spent with them.

Diana possessed a particular talent for caring and to her it was the most normal thing in the world to sit down with an Aids or leprosy patient, take their hand and have a chat.

She made heartfelt speeches on the plight of sufferers - this was Diana, who had gained no O-levels, but who was a pioneer in removing much of the stigma associated with these diseases.

For many, meeting Diana was one of the most memorable events of their lives.

Sadly, I never did, but I remember the excitement which both I and my mother felt when we met a woman who had met her during one of the princess's visits to Northern Ireland.

We had recognised this woman as a beautifully dressed lady with a large hat who was part of a crowd gazing at Diana in a photograph which had appeared in Hello! magazine the previous week.

We followed Diana's many wonderful outfits which themselves told a story. The demure frills and skirt suits which she favoured in the early years of her marriage were elegant and suitable for a princess.

But she later displayed a hint of daring by choosing more revealing outfits on occasion. For Charles and Diana's first formal evening event after their engagement, at which they met Princess Grace of Monaco, she wore that full length strapless black taffeta dress that showed off more than perhaps she intended.

Unlike many of today's spoilt celebrities, Diana did not take fashion too seriously and was known to wear outfits again and again, or pass them on to family and friends.

The pink jacket and dress with matching hat which she wore for Prince William's christening made another appearance at the Sydney Opera House, while the peach 'going away' suit she wore after her wedding was brought out for a trip to Grimsby a couple of years later.

While, of course, she was a fashion icon, by taking this approach to dressing she cleverly avoided being labelled a material girl.

As the years went on Diana became more adventurous. She wore puffball skirts - which became a fashion statement, bow ties and trouser suits.

Later, her well-toned figure was shown off beautifully in a succession of shapely outfits.

My particular favourites include designs both created by Versace - the pink Jackie-O style short sleeved suit, and the rich lilac coloured long dress with a cutaway neckline which she wore with a pearl choker during a visit to Chicago only 14 months before she died.

The pictures of her final summer show a woman enjoying her freedom, but the tragedy that unfolded was terrible in the extreme, an event which devastated all who admired her.

Like millions of others, I queued up to sign a condolence book. For we all lost something that day - someone who was incomparable to others who married into the royal family.

Without making any effort Diana left Sarah Ferguson and Sophie Wessex in the shadows. And Camilla? It is amazing, and rather sickening, to see how the public have come to accept the Countess of Wessex. "She is Charles's true love," so many seem to say.

But in so remarking they forget a beauty who was discarded from her rightful place.

A woman who, when she was alive, made the world a better place. And a woman whose death earned many of the risible characters who knew her a disgusting fortune.