In April 1987, Princess Diana made international headlines when she opened the first dedicated HIV and AIDS ward at the Middlesex Hospital in London. In front of the world’s press, she held the hand of a man who lived with HIV. This gesture challenged widespread fear and misconceptions about how HIV is transmitted. At a time when stigma and discrimination were rampant, Diana’s actions helped humanize those living with HIV/AIDS and broke down barriers of ignorance and fear.

Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, Princess Diana became a passionate advocate…