USA: CHICAGO: BRITAIN'S PRINCESS DIANA VISIT

(5 Jun 1996) English/Nat

America's Windy City has gone "Di-crazy" - the Princess of Wales was greeted by scenes of near hysteria as she arrived in Chicago.

People scrambled for a chance to shake the Princess's hand as she kicked off her three-day visit with a tour of Northwestern University.

The university is home to the Robert H Lurie Cancer Centre - during her trip the Princess will help raise funds for breast cancer research.

Blase give way to hysteria at Chicago's Northwestern University Tuesday as Princess Diana took a brief walk across campus.

Hundreds of students took breaks from studying for final exams to line the short walkway between University Hall and a sculpture garden.

Screams of "We love you" and "You're beautiful" rang out as the Princess and university president Henry Bienen walked across the grounds.

Each wave and each smile was greeted with whoops and cheers.

SOUNDBITE:
"And she's just beautiful and she was in this great outfit and she looked so great - she walked by. We're like: 'The Princess is coming! The Princess is coming!' and she walked by and she was handing out flowers and everyone was shouting and I touched her hand!"
SUPER CAPTION: Jeannie Sloane, Student Northwestern University

SOUNDBITE:
"She glows. She has charisma. Now I understand why she has so many fans and she is very photogenic and it's great and she knows how to make people feel good about themselves."
SUPER CAPTION: Neil Ray, Student Northwestern University

One couple even brought a pair of "fan slippers" - but refrained from showing them to Princess Diana whose marriage to Prince Charles has broken down.

During her tour, the Princess also met Illinois' governor Jim Edgar and his wife Brenda at the college president's official residency.

The university tour was just the beginning of Diana's fund-raising visit.

Money raised by The Committee For The Royal Visit - roughly one point two (m) million US dollar - will go to Robert H. Lurie Cancer Center at Northwestern University.

Funds will also be given to Gilda's Club, a support network for women with ovarian cancer, and the Royal Marsden Cancer Appeal in London.

Later on Tuesday, the Princess will give a speech on breast cancer, meet patients at a local hospital and hospice and attend a fund-raising gala dinner.

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