FORMER CHILD STAR and US diplomat Shirley Temple has died at the age of 85.

Here we look back at her fascinating life in pictures…

Shirley Temple in July 1934. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Temple with her father George at the Santa Monica Athletic Club in Santa Monica on June 5, 1934 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Six-year-old Shirley Temple as she appeared in her first featured role in the 1934 musical Stand Up and Cheer with James Dunn AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Shirley starts school at the age of 6 in September 1935 in Hollywood.Source: AP/Press Association Images

Temple celebrates her birthday in Hollywood with her mother Gertrude Temple in April 1936. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Temple tries out her newest pony, Road King 11 in October 1936. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Writing to Santa in 1936. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Eddie Cantor and Shirley Temple take part in the film celebration of the birthday of President Franklin D. Roosevelt in January 1937 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Sonja Henie, screen actress and champion skater is shown presenting Shirley with a pair of skates to encourage her skating ambitions in October 1937 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Shirley gives J Edgar Hoover, chief of the FBI, a kiss to honour his induction into honorary membership into the variety clubs of America. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Props man Mack Elliot cuts Shirley's 11th birthday cake in April 1940. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Shirley plays checkers on set with her stand in Mary Lou Isleib in September 1941 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Shirley with Fred Astaire and Rita Hayworth in July 1942. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Shirley at 16. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Shirley on her 16th birthday with the dress she wore in her first film Baby Take a Bow. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Temple, now a United Service Organizations (USO) volunteer, holds a bowl of cookies for servicemen at the Hollywood Canteen in August 1944 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Shirley is kissed for the first time on screen by Jerry Shane, an ex-Marine for the movie Kiss and Tell in January 1945 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Shirley (17) with fiance Sgt John Agar (24) AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Shirley and John at their wedding in September 1945 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Shirley Temple and Cary Grant in August 1946 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Shirley and John with daughter Linda in May 1948. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Temple hands out programmes at President Truman's inaugural ball in Washington, Jan. 20, 1949 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Temple signs a property settlement in her divorce from John Agar in December 1949. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Temple with her second husband Charles Black in December 1953 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

With two of her three children; Charles, 5 and Lori, 3 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Actress Shirley Temple Black holds hand of her youngest child, Lori, 5, as they do a scene for an upcoming NBC-TV show depicting a Mother Goose story AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Pictured in Moscow in 1965. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Temple-Black reads a statement disassociating herself from the San Francisco Film Festival in 1966,. Mrs. Black resigned because the selection board had endorsed showing Night Games which she says merely utilizes pornography for profit. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Temple announces plans to run for Congress as a 'Republican Independent' in September 1967 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

On the campaign trail. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Temple-Black watches the result of the Congressional election with her family. She was defeated. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Shirley Temple Black is one of five people chosen by President Richard Nixon to serve as a Representative of the U.S. delegation to the 24th regular session of the UN General Assembly in 1969 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Temple Black is shown leaving the UN in New York in September 1969 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Temple Black listens to a debate in the General Assembly in October 1969 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Temple Black pictured in hospital in November 1972. She underwent surgery to remove a malignant tumour from her breast. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Temple Black with Henry Kissinger after she is sworn in as the new U.S. Ambassador to Ghana at a State Department ceremony in Washington on Friday, Sept. 20, 1974. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Singer-songwriter Marvin Gaye, left, is shown with United Nations Secretary-General Kurt Waldheim, right, and Shirley Temple Black, U.S. Ambassador to Ghana, at the United Nations in New York City, Monday, Oct. 13, 1975. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Temple Black, now US Chief of Protocol, with Mexican President-elect Jose Lopez Portillo following his arrival at Andrews Air Force Base in 1976 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Mrs. Shirley Temple Black, left, former Ambassador to Ghana and New Orleans surgeon, Dr. Alton Ochsner look over awards for public service and patriotism presented to them by Freedoms Foundation in 1980 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

With granddaughter Susan Teresa in 1983 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Shirley Temple Black at the 56th Annual Academy Awards in Los Angeles on April 9, 1984. AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Janet Jackson, Gene Kelly and Shirley Temple pose for photographers backstage at the Beverly Hilton Hotel after the fifth annual American Cinema Awards in Beverly Hills in 1988 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Micheal Caine, Shirley Temple Black, Albert II Prince of Monaco, Liza Minnelli, Princess Stephanie of Monaco and Prince Rainier of Monaco at a gala for Cary Grant EMPICS Entertainment EMPICS Entertainment

Kennedy Center honorees Bill Cosby, right, and Shirley Temple Black celebrate after the awards ceremony at the Department of State in December 1998 AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

Jamie Lee Curtis applauds as Shirley Temple Black accepts the Screen Actors Guild Awards 42nd annual life achievement award on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2006, AP / Press Association Images AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

RIP: Shirley Temple dies at the age of 85>