Princess Diana’s Final Hours and Fatal Paris Car Crash Recounted

Princess Diana spent the morning of 30 August 1997 relaxing on a yacht off Sardinia before flying with her companion Dodi Al‑Fayed to Paris. The couple planned shopping, dinner and a stay at the Ritz, but paparazzi on motorbikes pursued them after their arrival.

At around midnight on 31 August 1997, the Mercedes driven by Henri Paul – who had consumed alcohol and drugs according to the investigation – entered the Pont‑de‑l’Alma tunnel at roughly 140 km/h, far above the 50 km/h limit. The car struck the tunnel’s 13th pillar, killing Diana, Dodi and driver Paul. Bodyguard Trevor Rees‑Jones survived with serious injuries and was taken to Pitié‑Salpêtrière Hospital, where Diana was declared dead at 4 a.m.

The report notes Diana had spoken by phone with her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, that morning and had expressed anxiety about media pressure. The tragic crash has remained a focal point of public memory and royal history.