PARIS, FRANCE: Towards the end of August 1997, Princess Diana found herself newly divorced and poised to embark on a fresh chapter of her life; but tragedy struck on August 31, 1997 when she died in a car crash.
At 36 years old, she was a divorced royal and the mother of Prince William, then 15, and Prince Harry, then 12.
She was involved in a burgeoning romantic relationship with Dodi Al Fayed, the son of Mohamed Al Fayed, the owner of Harrods department store.
How did Princess Diana die?
Diana and Al Fayed were traveling in a car through the streets of Paris, accompanied by a driver and a bodyguard, on thay fateful day.
Pursued relentlessly by paparazzi, their vehicle collided with a support column, resulting in a violent flip and eventual halt in the path of oncoming traffic.
Tragically, both Al Fayed and the driver lost their lives instantly. Meanwhile, medical professionals worked tirelessly to sustain Diana's life for hours, although her death was ultimately confirmed on August 31.
When did Princess Diana die?
Princess Diana died at 5 am on August 31. The announcement of her death was swiftly confirmed by British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook, who expressed to People magazine, "It was my sad duty to supervise her going into the casket and the way she looked".
Subsequent to Diana's tragic demise, Prince Charles, accompanied by Princess Diana's sisters, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes, embarked on a flight to Paris.
Their purpose was to bring Diana's body back to London. Upon their arrival at the hospital, they found Diana's body in the company of her butler, Paul Burrell, and her driver, Colin Tebbutt.
Where did Princess Diana die?
Tragically, Princess Diana died in Paris after a vacation spent with her sons in St Tropez.
Diana and Al Fayed journeyed to the French city using a jet owned by Al Fayed's father, and their accommodations were within a luxurious suite at the Ritz, a lodging also possessed by the Al Fayed family, costing approximately $2,000 per night.
During their time in Paris, the couple dined at the hotel's restaurant on that particular evening. A hotel staff member shared it with People, “They looked like two love-struck teenagers”.
Who else died in the car crash with Princess Diana?
In the car accident involving Princess Diana, her boyfriend Dodi Al Fayed and the driver, Henri Paul, tragically lost their lives instantaneously.
Henri Paul, who was an employee of the Ritz at that time, was subsequently discovered to have been driving with a blood alcohol level that exceeds legal limits.
Remarkably, Dodi Al Fayed's bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones, emerged as the sole survivor of the crash.
He was the only passenger who had fastened his seat belt, a factor that likely contributed to his survival. Despite surviving, Rees-Jones sustained severe injuries in the accident.
