Flashback: The day Princess Diana came to Wolverhampton

Diana was in town for the opening of the city's police headquarters on Bilston Street and arrived as tabloid speculation over her private life was reaching its peak.

We've delved into the archives to see how the Express & Star covered the event, and to reproduce our front page story from that memorable day.

"Rapturous cheers welcomed the world's favourite Royal, Princess Diana, as she arrived in Wolverhampton today.

Thousands lined town centre streets to catch a glimpse of Diana, who wore a kingfisher blue floral dress with matching blue shoes and bag.

The smiling princess was in Wolverhampton to open the town's new £5 million police headquarters in Bilston Street.

She was last in the town in 1988 when she visited the Good Shepherd Centre, a hostel for homeless men, in Thornley Street.

Among those present to greet her today were the head of Wolverhampton police, Chief Superintendent Bob Jones, and West Midlands Police Authority chairman Mr Lionel Jones.

The princess did not disappoint the excited crowds, who waited patiently in the sunshine for nearly an hour as she toured the station.

• John Major surprised the country, beating Neil Kinnock to win the general election.

• Steve Bull broke John Richards' decade old Wolves goalscoring record.

• The European Union was created, with the signing of the Maastricht Treaty.

• Bill Clinton beat George Bush Sr to win the US presidential election

• Denmark won the European Football Championship.

She spent nearly half-an-hour chatting to people along Bilston Street and Market Street.

Mrs Joan Willis, who has come all the way from Adelaide, South Australia, said: "It is a sheer fluke that the princess and I were here on the same day."

Mr Gordon Douglas and his wife Dorothy, of Crewe, said they were following Diana around the country and had seen her 50 times.

Gordon said: "I shook hands with her in Blackpool on Tuesday and today she said she remembered me. I think she is lovely, so natural."

Closer to home, Darshan Singh Bairns, of Shale Street, Parkfield, said: "She is beautiful, really good looking."

Neville Fill, aged 16, who was on a day trip to Wolverhampton with Mencap Holidays, had a grin from ear to ear after the princess shook his hand and gave him a kiss.

Mr Philip Nicholls, of Swynnerton Drive, Essington, said: "I only came into the town for a bit of shopping. I never thought I would shake hands with a princess when I woke up this morning."