The princess, who at the time was still married to Prince Charles, had referred to Northern Ireland as part of Ireland in a conversation with the ambassador, Joseph Small, he wrote in a briefing to Ireland's then president, Mary Robinson.
Robinson was preparing for a historic visit to London, the first by a serving Irish president, in which she would meet Queen Elizabeth II.
A folder with briefing material for Robinson, newly released by Ireland's national archives, includes Small's note.
In it he wrote: "Whenever we meet Prince Charles, he invariably says that he would love to visit Ireland. He is, of course a regular visit [sic] to Northern Ireland. Diana has also been there.
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