A small cafe on the fringes of Hyde Park in London is keeping the memory of Princess Diana alive 25 years after her death, with photos of the venue's most famous customer adorning the walls.
The cafe was opened in 1989 by Iraqi-born entrepreneur Abdul Basit and serves a combination of Middle Eastern and British cuisines, including the “Diana burger”.
Mr Basit decided to change the name of his business after seeing the princess taking her young sons to school and perceived it as a good omen.
Cafe Diana is only a stone’s throw from the princess’s residence at the time, Kensington Palace, and before long, its namesake was a regular customer.
“Diana came from the palace at the foot of the road and brought the two boys, William and Harry, when they were small boys and apparently they had hamburgers,” John Harkness, one regular, told The National.
“I’ve been coming here for years and years.
“It’s good coffee. I have American friends and they think it’s good, strong coffee. It’s different from continental coffee.
“I always have the same thing. I have the falafel with hummus and salad.
“It’s very popular with tourists on their way to Portobello market or going the other way.”
As a treat, and a break from the confines of palace life, Diana would often go to the cafe for a coffee, cake, croissant or a full English breakfast. Keen to ensure her young sons did not miss out on normal childhood experiences, she sometimes took them with her.
Diana, who at the time was married to Prince Charles, could often be seen chatting with Mr Basit and servers. As a tribute to the royal guest of days gone by, a picture of the princess with the staff is still on display in the cafe.
Another image that stands out from the dozens of others is an elegant portrait of the princess, signed in gold, that Diana gave to Mr Basit, who has since sold the business.
Mr Harkness, 78, suggested Diana was drawn to the Bayswater cafe by its “unsophisticated and friendly” atmosphere.
Originally from Glasgow but having lived in London for more than 40 years, Mr Harkness said he once saw the princess driving near the cafe.
“I was just walking home along the road and the car came out and I stopped and looked down and there’s Princess Diana on her own. No protection officers or anything,” he said.
“Fortunately, she stopped for me, she let me pass. I just smiled at her.”
He recalls walking past the cafe shortly after the princess died in a car crash in Paris in 1997 and seeing the shopfront “surrounded with flowers” left in her honour.
Ken Aldous, 87, who has been a regular customer at the cafe for years, said the unique venue took on a new meaning after her death.
“A lot of people took a great interest in looking at all the pictures of her,” he told The National.
He said the cafe probably served as an oasis of calm for the princess and her two sons.
“She used to sit and talk to the owner,” he said.
“I live very close, just around the corner. It’s a very useful place to come and it’s a good environment and relatively peaceful.
“The best time to come not to find peace is in the evening because it’s very, very busy.
“I usually have coffee or herbal tea. Sometimes I have a snack but, being English, I’m not all that favourable towards some of these foreign menus. I’m more a person who loves lamb chops, chips and peas.”
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Walls
Louis Tomlinson
3 out of 5 stars
(Syco Music/Arista Records)
In numbers
1,000 tonnes of waste collected daily:
- 800 tonnes converted into alternative fuel
- 150 tonnes to landfill
- 50 tonnes sold as scrap metal
800 tonnes of RDF replaces 500 tonnes of coal
Two conveyor lines treat more than 350,000 tonnes of waste per year
25 staff on site
UK%20record%20temperature
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The biog
Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman
Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs
Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing
GIANT REVIEW
Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan
Director: Athale
Rating: 4/5
'Cheb%20Khaled'
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FIXTURES
December 28
Stan Wawrinka v Pablo Carreno Busta, 5pm
Milos Raonic v Dominic Thiem, no earlier then 7pm
December 29 - semi-finals
Rafael Nadal v Stan Wawrinka / Pablo Carreno Busta, 5pm
Novak Djokovic v Milos Raonic / Dominic Thiem, no earlier then 7pm
December 30
3rd/4th place play-off, 5pm
Final, 7pm
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