Obverse. Photo © Katz Auction
  • 5 Francs 2000, KM# 63, Congo, Democratic Republic, The Queen Mother - Royal Friends, Visit Lady Diana to India
  • 5 Francs 2000, KM# 63, Congo, Democratic Republic, The Queen Mother - Royal Friends, Visit Lady Diana to India
Description

Diana, Princess of Wales visits the 'Untouchables' at Mianpur Old Age Welfare Centre in Hyderabad, India, February 1992. Prince Charles and Diana, Princess of Wales visit the Qutbi Shahi tomb in Hyderabad, India, 15th February 1992. Her visit to India was part of her dedication to raising awareness for important causes and advocating for those in need.

Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900–2002) was Queen of the United Kingdom from 1936 to 1952 as the wife of King George VI, and the last Empress of India until 1947. After her husband's death, she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother.

Born into British nobility, she married Prince Albert, Duke of York, in 1923. With his unexpected ascension to the throne in 1936, Elizabeth became queen consort. During WWII, her steadfast spirit supported the British public. After King George VI's death, her daughter became queen, and Elizabeth became the family matriarch. She remained a beloved public figure, active until shortly before her death at 101.

Obverse

Depicts an official emblem of the Laurent Kabila regime: a mature male lion standing to the left amid grass, symbolizing strength and authority. Above the lion is the country’s name in French, and the denomination is placed below.

Kabila’s regime, which began in 1997 after he overthrew Mobutu Sese Seko, was characterized by efforts to rebuild the Democratic Republic of the Congo (formerly Zaire) after decades of dictatorship. His government sought to restore national sovereignty, but faced internal conflict and external pressures, particularly during the Second Congo War.

REPUBLIQUE DEMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO
5 FRANCS

Reverse

Depicts a portrait of Lady Diana facing right and looking up, wearing a scarf covering half of her hair, the Taj Mahal (the eight-sided main structure with large arched doorways and minarets on a square plinth) in the background surrounded by her name with birth and death dates above and inscription of occasion with date below. The title of the series above with an oval portrait for The Mother Queen, birth and issue year dates below.

Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–1997), was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales. The marriage produced two sons, the princes William and Harry, who were then respectively second and third in the line of succession to the British throne. As Princess of Wales, Diana undertook royal duties on behalf of the Queen and represented her at functions overseas. She was celebrated for her charity work and for her support of the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. Diana remained the object of worldwide media scrutiny during and after her marriage, which ended in divorce on 28 August 1996. Her death in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997 and her funeral were accompanied by intense public mourning.

The Taj Mahal is an ivory-white marble mausoleum in Agra, India, commissioned in 1631 by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan to house the tomb of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. Completed in 1653, it stands at the center of a 17-hectare complex with a mosque, guest house, and formal gardens. Designed in the Indo-Islamic and Mughal architectural styles, the mausoleum features white marble inlaid with semi-precious stones, while red sandstone is used in other structures. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983, the Taj Mahal is a symbol of Mughal architecture and attracts over five million visitors annually.

THE QUEEN MOTHER - ROYAL FRIENDS
1900-2000
LADY DIANA 1961 - 1997
VISIT TO INDIA, FEBRUARY 1992

Edge
Characteristics
Type Commemorative Issue (Non-circulating)
Material Cupronickel
Weight 28.75 g
Diameter 38 mm
Thickness -
Shape round
Alignment Medal

Related coins

Lady Diana Meeting with Pope John Paul II

The Queen Mother - Royal Friends

Cupronickel, 28.75 g, ⌀ 38 mm