Revealed: The portrait of Diana that helped to heal Elton John's grief

Everywhere around the world - those few people who were admitted to Sir Elton John's private dressing room saw her. Ted Oliver, writing in Britain's Mirror newspaper (5/29/98) described her as "wearing a deep v-necked black dress and looking at her most beautiful and relaxed". A member of Elton's road crew was overheard saying: "She goes with him everywhere. I know he talks to her before he goes on stage." What they were referring to was a life size portrait of Princess Diana, given to Elton in 1997 shortly after her death by Los Angeles-based artist Louis Briel. The painting is now featured

in "Diana In Art", by Mem Mehmet, a collection of portraits of the Princess from around the world. It is published this month by Pop Art Books.

Moved by the kind gesture, Elton sent a handwritten note to Briel thanking him and saying the portrait was "beautiful". Elton took the portrait on his "Big Picture" tour in 1997-98 and looked at it every night before going on stage. After the tour a member of Elton's team told Briel: "The painting is like a genie. It goes where he goes. We've packed it up and unpacked it at every stop around the world. I know he talks to her before he goes on stage." Someone close to Elton's alcohol/drug recovery said: "I'm sure Diana is his higher power. She tells him [via the portrait] what shoes to wear."

Does Diana really inhabit the mysterious portrait? Can she truly be Elton's spirit guide? Briel, who specializes in posthumous portraits, is convinced that during the painting process and afterwards the "spirit of the deceased visits and inhabits the image on canvas". He says he would not be surprised if Elton is in direct spiritual contact with Diana.