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Download the EPUBShortly after midnight on August 31, 1997, a Mercedes carrying Diana, Dodi Fayed, Henri Paul and Trevor Rees-Jones crashed in the Alma underpass in Paris. Paul and Dodi died at the scene; Diana died in hospital. Rees-Jones survived with serious injuries.
The investigations reconstructed the journey, tested claims of a plot and examined responsibility for the deaths. In 2008, a British jury found unlawful killing through grossly negligent driving. It did not find an assassination.
12:23 AM
The Mercedes S280 struck the thirteenth pillar of the Pont de l'Alma tunnel at over 60 mph — more than double the speed limit. Three of the four occupants were killed.
1.87 g/L
One test recorded 1.87 grams of alcohol per litre of blood, more than three times the French driving limit. Operation Paget reviewed the toxicology and the identification of the samples.
250
Approximately 250 witnesses gave evidence during the British inquests, which ran from October 2007 to April 2008.
6 Sep 1997
Diana’s funeral at Westminster Abbey on September 6, 1997, was broadcast internationally. Crowds also gathered along the procession route and at outdoor screens in London.
The Evidence
The Thirteenth Pillar
Physical traces indicated contact with a white Fiat Uno before the Mercedes struck the pillar. Operation Paget estimated impact speed at about 65 mph. The Fiat was never conclusively identified.
A Nation in Mourning
Flowers, cards and candles accumulated outside Kensington Palace and other royal residences. The tributes made public grief visible in the days before the funeral.
The Unofficial Memorial
The Flame of Liberty, a gold replica of the Statue of Liberty's torch, stands above the crash tunnel. It predates Diana's death but became a public shrine. The site was officially renamed Place Diana in 2019.
The Final Night
Arrival at the Ritz
Diana and Dodi visit the Ritz during the afternoon. Later, while travelling to a restaurant, they change plans and return to the hotel, where they dine in the Imperial Suite.
Henri Paul Returns
Henri Paul returns to the Ritz after being called back. His outward composure on hotel footage would later be compared with the toxicology evidence of impairment.
The Decoy Plan
Diana and Dodi leave through the Rue Cambon exit in a Mercedes driven by Henri Paul. Trevor Rees-Jones accompanies them, without a following security car.
Impact
The Mercedes crashes into the thirteenth pillar. Physical evidence indicates prior contact with a white Fiat Uno. Paul and Dodi die at the scene.
Diana Pronounced Dead
After nearly two hours of emergency surgery at the Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital, Diana is pronounced dead. A torn pulmonary vein had caused massive internal haemorrhage.
The Verdict
The jury finds unlawful killing through grossly negligent driving by Henri Paul and the drivers of following vehicles. The absence of seatbelts and impact with the pillar also contributed to the deaths.
Key Figures
Henri Paul
Deputy head of security at the Ritz and driver of the Mercedes. Toxicology found alcohol above the driving limit. Investigators examined his finances but established no intelligence payment or role in an assassination plot.
Westminster Abbey
Diana’s funeral took place at Westminster Abbey on September 6, 1997. Elton John performed a rewritten version of “Candle in the Wind,” and Earl Spencer delivered the address.
What the Investigations Found
The French inquiry, Operation Paget and the British inquests examined different questions. The jury found grossly negligent driving; the assassination allegations were not substantiated.
The book follows the evidence from the final journey through rescue, forensic analysis and the hearings, alongside Diana’s public life and the mourning after her death.
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Read the narrative history of Diana’s public life, the Paris crash and the investigations that followed.