Even after nearly three decades, the legacy of Princess Diana still resonates deeply with those who knew her best.

Among them is Jenni Rivett, the personal trainer who stood beside the Princess during some of the most turbulent and transformative years of her life.

Now 65, Jenni reflects on their time together—not with gossip or drama—but with warmth, honesty, and a loyalty that never wavered.

A Trip That Never Happened

It was late August in 1997. Diana had just finished a workout and was planning ahead, excited about a holiday to St Tropez with Dodi Al-Fayed.

She penciled in a few training sessions for when she returned and handed the schedule to Jenni. That was the last time they spoke.

Diana never made it back. On August 31, she was fatally injured in a car crash in Paris.

Beneath the Sunshine, a Hidden Sadness

Jenni remembers Diana being eager for the getaway—ready for a break and thrilled about the sunshine.

But something deeper lingered beneath her cheerful exterior.

“She had this incredible sense of humor,” Jenni says, “but there was always a sadness behind her eyes.

She never wanted the life she was handed—she just wanted to be a good wife and mum.”

Heartbreak Over the Princes’ Rift

Diana’s love for William and Harry was unwavering.

Jenni believes she would be heartbroken over the tension between them today.

“Her boys were everything to her. Watching them grow apart would have devastated her,” she adds.

A Bond That Ran Deeper Than Fitness

Jenni wasn’t just Diana’s trainer. For six years, they spent three hours a week together sculpting Diana’s famously photographed figure—but also talking, laughing, and sharing private moments.

“Sometimes she’d confide things so personal, I’d ask her to stop talking just to protect us both,” Jenni remembers.

From South Africa to Kensington Palace

A native of South Africa, Jenni arrived in London in the late ’80s, not realizing how quickly her career would take off.

Working at Chelsea’s elite fitness studio Body and later the Harbour Club, she trained an array of high-profile names—without even recognizing most of them.

Diana was referred to her by multiple dinner party guests and soon became a regular client and close friend.

No Curtsies, Just Friendship

Jenni didn’t know royal protocol and didn’t curtsey during those early days.

When she finally realized and apologized, Diana laughed it off: “You’re from South Africa.

Please never curtsey to me.”

That set the tone for a relationship that was grounded in trust and mutual respect.

Training the Most Photographed Woman in the World

Diana was passionate about fitness. She loved Step classes, strength training, ballet stretches, and even rollerblading through Kensington Gardens in disguise.

Jenni recalls Diana asking, “Now, what can you do with this body?” Her legs were already great—but they got even better.

She was precise, committed, and always curious.

At times, she would spot someone doing an exercise wrong and nudge Jenni to correct them.

“I’d tell her to do it herself,” Jenni laughs. “Of course, she never did.”

The Sweatshirt, the Paparazzi, and a Genius Idea

To outsmart photographers who camped outside the gym, Diana began wearing the same Virgin Atlantic sweatshirt every day so there’d be no new photos to sell.

Jenni eventually received that sweatshirt as a gift and later auctioned it to fund a gardener’s child’s education in Malawi.

“It was sitting in a cupboard gathering dust—I knew Diana would have approved,” she says.

A Cardigan for Kirsti and Love for the Boys

When Jenni became pregnant with her daughter Kirsti in 1993, Diana was delighted.

She gifted Jenni a cardigan and a sweet note just in case the baby arrived while she was away.

Jenni recalls the young princes fighting over who got to hold Kirsti during her visits to Kensington Palace.

“Harry was the naughty one,” she smiles, “but their manners were impeccable.”

A Ski Trip, A First Christmas Apart

In December 1994, Diana joined Jenni on a ski trip to Colorado—her first Christmas without William and Harry.

It was a brief escape from royal pressures. A few years later, Jenni’s own marriage ended, though she and her ex-husband remain close.

Where Jenni Is Now

These days, Jenni splits her time between South Africa’s Franschhoek and the Cotswolds.

She continues to train hundreds of clients via Zoom and recently launched a wellness program called Train Like A Woman, focused on health and strength for women in midlife and beyond.

She’s passionate about making sure women in their 60s don’t get overlooked.

“You fall and break your hip at 65 and your chances of never recovering are high,” she says. “That’s why we need to keep moving.”

How Jenni Would Train Diana at 63

If Diana were alive today, Jenni believes she’d still be strong, fit, and radiantly healthy. Here’s what her current plan would look like:

Three 30-minute strength sessions per week, followed by stretching.
Daily mobility exercises (3–5 mins) to keep joints moving smoothly.
QuickTone8 HIIT routine, twice weekly, to stimulate natural HGH production.
Walking four times a week, aiming for 6,000–10,000 steps.
A Mediterranean-inspired diet with 1.0–1.3g of protein per kg of body weight.
Supplements like Omega-3, Vitamin D, magnesium, and collagen for joints, energy, and skin.
Limit caffeine, stay hydrated, and avoid sugar after workouts.
Intentional gratitude or prayer every morning to set the tone for the day.

The Kensington Gate Pilgrimage

Whenever Jenni returns to the UK, she stops by Kensington Palace.

“What hurts the most,” she says, “is that Diana never truly believed she was loved.”

On the morning after Diana’s death, surrounded by a sea of flowers at the palace gates, Jenni whispered, “Do you believe me now?”

Fitness, Forgiveness, and Moving On

Jenni’s approach to fitness includes a healthy mindset.

“If you have the cake, just move on. Hit the delete button.

Don’t spiral. Just keep going.” And that’s what she believes Diana would have done—stayed strong, stayed kind, and kept moving forward.