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After a very public divorce from Prince Charles in 1996—amid scandals of cheating, emotional abuse, and mental health difficulties—Diana “Princess of Wales” reportedly fell in love with Egyptian film producer and billionaire’s son, Dodi Fayed. Friends of Dodi claim he was smitten with the Princess as well, even telling them that Diana was the woman he wished “to be with for the rest of his life” fairly early into their relationship.1 It is believed that the two were actually engaged at the time of the accident that took both of their lives, as Dodi had purchased an £11,600 engagement ring just prior, and planned to announce the good news following their return to London from their vacation in Paris. Unfortunately, that announcement would never come.2

Princess Diana dancing in black gown | Courtesy of Pxfuel

On August 31, 1997, the couple had spent most of their day in Paris hounded by French and British paparazzi. According to his father, Mohammed, it was Dodi’s idea to try and outrun the press by leaving their hotel in a decoy car. Four people piled into the Mercedes: Diana, Dodi, their driver Henri Paul, and bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones.3 While at first it seemed that they had been successful in evading the crowds of photographers, several members of the press were tipped off and managed to catch up all too quickly; as the Mercedes entered into an underpass, two vehicles, believed to be driven by overly ambitious paparazzi, drove up on either side of the car. On one side was a white fiat, and on the other a motorcycle, equally desperate for up-close shots of the private pair. Officials conclude that because of the crowding of the vehicle, the danger of the underpass, and the chauffeur’s reported intoxication, the Mercedes ended up veering violently into a pillar, ending the lives of Henri Paul and Dodi Fayed instantly. Trevor Rees-Jones was injured though ultimately survived, and Diana eventually passed away two hours after she reached the hospital by ambulance; her haunting last words were to the press, begging to be left alone as the flashes of cameras continued to overwhelm her.4

Diana was pregnant at the time of the crash. At least, that’s what Dodi’s father believed. The following investigation into the deaths was the largest in French history; however, its conclusions left many skeptics suspicious, and none more so than Mohammed Fayed himself.5

Princess Diana HIV/AIDS Charity | Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

Fayed’s distrust in British authority led him to speculate of a cover-up early on, especially when Diana’s butler, Paul Burrell, eventually came forward with a letter she’d entrusted to him ten months prior to the crash. The note itself brought forth some public scrutiny and questioning of the British crown, as it was revealed to have read with uncomfortable foresight: “This particular phase of my life is the most dangerous. My husband is planning ‘an accident’ in my car…in order to make the path clear for Charles to marry.”6 Along with the letter, Burrell claimed Princess Diana had been wracked with anxiety the months leading up to her death, at one point even having him help rip up her apartment’s floorboards in an attempt to find whether she’d been bugged.

In an effort to build a case for conspiracy to murder, Fayed demanded that a test be made to prove Diana was indeed pregnant—something that would further complicate the British monarchy’s image and, to Fayed at least, serve as motive to kill—but it was soon revealed that the Princess had been embalmed, twice, the first time being illegal. Jean Monceau, the doctor who administered the Princess’ embalming, explained that the summer heat had been deteriorating Diana’s body, and that she couldn’t be moved to a refrigerated morgue as there was not enough security there. So they were supposedly left with no other choice to preserve her than with an embalming—a procedure that would have wiped away any evidence of a pregnancy.7

However, the investigation didn’t stop there. The two vehicles that crowded the Mercedes at the underpass were never traced, despite scratches from one of them found alongside the car. And driver Henri Paul’s reported intoxication has been long disputed. Despite tox-screens repeatedly showed a mix of alcohol and antidepressants in the chauffeur’s system, those close to him insist his reported actions the morning of the crash were an “unsettling puzzle,” and not at all like the man they knew; and it had also been found that there were several conflicting accounts concerning Mr. Paul’s state the hours leading up to the crash, with some claiming he appeared totally out of it and others saying he seemed completely and totally sober.8

Though what appears to grab more popular conspiracy thinkers’ attention is the incident of celebrity photographer and paparazzo, James Andanson, who had followed Diana and Dodi the entire week before their deaths. Three years after the incident, he too was found dead among the wreckage of his burning car in the French countryside. While the crash itself was ruled as intentional by means of suicide, responding fireman Christophe Pelat claimed of the body, “I saw him at close range and I’m absolutely convinced he had been shot in the head, twice.”9 Conspiracy theorists have pounced on Pelat’s claim of Andanson’s possible murder as suggesting that Andanson had seen, or had been holding on to, evidence that would’ve furthered the idea that someone had orchestrated the accident that killed Diana.

But perhaps most infamous of these circumstances, is the case of Soldier N. Over a decade after the crash, in September of 2011, a letter from the soldier’s mother-in-law was received by “military bosses,” as the woman claimed concern for her daughter’s safety. In the letter the mother explained Soldier N—who remains unnamed for security reasons, as well as several others involved with the claims—had confided in his then wife about various missions over the years, most notably on what was known among officials as the “Diana Problem.”10 According to the letter, the soldier had repeatedly talked about the event, telling his wife that an SAS squad flashed a blinding light at the driver to cause the fateful crash—a technique often used by special forces to tackle terrorists. The former special forces sniper’s wife backed these claims, adding that she had been offered £500 in “hush money” but had felt very uncomfortable and suspicious about the whole situation. As Scotland Yard took to investigating the claims, they eventually arrested Soldier N for hiding illegal firearms and ammunition in his home. As some tried to pass the soldier off as a ‘loose cannon’ and prone to attention-seeking behaviors because of this, his reputation and demeanor is reported to have strongly suggested otherwise. Despite this, British authorities ruled that the evidence presented still wasn’t credible enough to issue a new probe into the deaths, resulting in more fuel to the fire of Fayed’s determination to find out what might have actually happened to his son and the woman he loved.11

Concerns over the timing of the ambulance were also eventually brought forth, as it was reported that the vehicle had taken a full hour to depart from the scene of the crash, and another forty minutes to arrive at the hospital—claiming the ambulance must have moved at a “snail’s pace” in reaching the Piete-Salepetriere hospital, which was an estimated five to ten minutes away from the scene of the accident.12 Some theorists suggest the delay had been an attempt to ensure that the Princess wouldn’t make it on time to be helped. However, medical officials refute that idea, claiming the only reason for Diana’s slow arrival was due to her critical condition, which at one point even required the ambulance to make a full stop in order to revive her.13

Other related phenomena have found plausible explanations, such as the reasoning for Diana’s embalming, the witnesses to Henri Paul’s intoxication, and the fact that several psychologists agreed that Diana likely had Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) though she was never officially diagnosed—a disorder that, among other things, makes one prone to paranoia.14

Yet despite these explanations, conspiracists insist that there is more to the story. They point to the many investigation reports that have continue to remain closed to the public, and cite the one by the British embassy in France as being heavily censored upon its release; a friend of Diana even claiming “If there was ever a blatant attempt to hide the truth about Diana’s death, this is it.”15

However, it’s believed that had Diana simply been wearing her seatbelt, she would’ve survived. Prompting the question as to why anyone would go to such lengths to assassinate a beloved icon when their plans could have been foiled by a single, simple, decision—whether or not to wear a seatbelt.16

Despite this, theories surrounding the event continue to vary, sometimes drastically so. Some claim that it was actually Dodi who was the intended target, due to his father’s allegedly questionable connections—and that Diana had simply been caught in the crossfire of a revenge plot. Others believe it was indeed Diana who’d been the intended victim, not by the British government, but by arms dealers who would have lost a “small fortune” had her campaigns to end landmines in the African country of Angola continued.17  A few of the less favorable, yet simultaneously popular, theories include Dodi and Diana faking their deaths and running away to live on an island free of stress, whilst continuing to FaceTime with their closest family.18

For decades now, it has been an ongoing battle between officials and skeptics. With every theory an explanation, with every explanation a new theory.

According to Fayed, one thing is certain, that the future King of Wales having an Egyptian-Muslim step-father and half-sibling would usher in an unprecedented wave of optics and politics for the royal family to tackle; and with motives ranging from politics to sex scandals to simple, blatant, racism—it’s likely that whatever the true story is, it will always remain under close scrutiny. After Fayed’s last inquiry into the deaths once again concluding the only responsible parties to be a drunk driver and ravenous paparazzi, he reportedly backed down out of respect for Diana’s sons, stating, “Enough is enough, and for the sake of the two princes…I am leaving the rest for God to get my revenge. But I am not doing anymore.”19

Today the theories continue strong, despite Fayed’s surrender.

  1. David Gardner, Murder, Lies and Cover-Ups: Who Killed Marilyn Monroe, JFK, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, and Princess Diana? (La Vergne: Skyhorse, 2018), Chapter: “Princess Diana.”
  2. David Gardner, Murder, Lies and Cover-Ups: Who Killed Marilyn Monroe, JFK, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, and Princess Diana? (La Vergne: Skyhorse, 2018), Chapter: “Princess Diana.”
  3. Martha Sorren, “Princess Diana’s Death: What We’ve Learned About Her Tragic Accident,” Cafemom (website), August 3, 2020, https://cafemom.com/entertainment/princess-diana-death/Trevor-Was-Reportedly-Very-Concerned-about-Diana.
  4. Martha Sorren, “Princess Diana’s Death: What We’ve Learned About Her Tragic Accident,” Cafemom (website), August 3, 2020,  https://cafemom.com/entertainment/princess-diana-death/Trevor-Was-Reportedly-Very-Concerned-about-Diana.
  5. David Gardner, Murder, Lies and Cover-Ups: Who Killed Marilyn Monroe, JFK, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, and Princess Diana? (La Vergne: Skyhorse, 2018), Chapter: “Lies and Cover Ups.”
  6. David Gardner, Murder, Lies and Cover-Ups: Who Killed Marilyn Monroe, JFK, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, and Princess Diana? (La Vergne: Skyhorse, 2018), Chapter: “Lies and Cover Ups.”
  7. David Gardner, Murder, Lies and Cover-Ups: Who Killed Marilyn Monroe, JFK, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, and Princess Diana? (La Vergne: Skyhorse, 2018), Chapter: “The Autopsy.”
  8. Craig R Whitney, “To Those Who Knew Diana’s Driver, His Actions Are an Unsettling Puzzle,” The New York Times, Sep 2, 1997,  https://www.nytimes.com/1997/09/21/world/to-those-who-knew-diana-s-driver-his-actions-are-an-unsettling-puzzle.html.
  9. David Gardner, Murder, Lies and Cover-Ups: Who Killed Marilyn Monroe, JFK, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, and Princess Diana? (La Vergne: Skyhorse, 2018), Chapter: “Covering The Tracks.”
  10. David Gardner, Murder, Lies and Cover-Ups: Who Killed Marilyn Monroe, JFK, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, and Princess Diana? (La Vergne: Skyhorse, 2018), Chapter: “Princess Diana.”
  11. David Gardner, Murder, Lies and Cover-Ups: Who Killed Marilyn Monroe, JFK, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, and Princess Diana? (La Vergne: Skyhorse, 2018), Chapter: “A British Sniper’s Confession.”
  12. T Sancton, “Death Of A Princess, Did Princess Diana Have To Die?: A Case Study In French Emergency Medicine,” The Internet Journal of Rescue and Disaster Medicine 1, no. 2 (1999): 2.
  13. David Gardner, Murder, Lies and Cover-Ups: Who Killed Marilyn Monroe, JFK, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, and Princess Diana? (La Vergne: Skyhorse, 2018), Chapter: Princess Diana, “Diana’s Death Timeline” & “What Really Happened And Why.”
  14. Deepti Hajela, “New Book Details Diana’s Last Year,” Associated Press Writer, August 8, 1999.
  15. David Gardner, Murder, Lies and Cover-Ups: Who Killed Marilyn Monroe, JFK, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, and Princess Diana? (La Vergne: Skyhorse, 2018), Chapter: “Lies And Cover Ups.”
  16. T Sancton, “Death Of A Princess, Did Princess Diana Have To Die?: A Case Study In French Emergency Medicine,” The Internet Journal of Rescue and Disaster Medicine 1, no. 2 (1999): 1.
  17. Stuart Maslen, Mine Action after Diana: Progress in the Struggle Against Landmines (London: Pluto Press, 2004), 15; David Gardner, Murder, Lies and Cover-Ups: Who Killed Marilyn Monroe, JFK, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley, and Princess Diana? (La Vergne: Skyhorse, 2018), Chapter: Princess Diana, “The Smoking Gun.”
  18. Carol Midgley, “How We Love to Believe a Conspiracy Theory,” The Australian, Accessed November 7, 2020.
  19. Martha Sorren, “Princess Diana’s Death: What We’ve Learned About Her Tragic Accident.” Cafemom, August 3, 2020, https://cafemom.com/entertainment/princess-diana-death/Trevor-Was-Reportedly-Very-Concerned-about-Diana.

Franchesca Baldwin

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38 comments

  • Carlos Hinojosa

    I never got to see Princess Diana, but I heard many good things even from my family that doesn’t really care for the crown. However, when I finally took a look into her past and what happened. I couldn’t help but feel something was off especially with how Prince Harry or just Harry now looked and acted around his family. You could tell he felt something was off and that he doesn’t fully trust them either. I personally believe it actually was foul play but even if that was the truth it will probably never see the light of day. Very good article by the way.

  • Brissa Campos Toscano

    Hello Franchesca! I would like to congratulate you on your article. I enjoyed reading about the life of Princess Diana, and as you have mentioned, her death is a mystery and has a lot of dark spots after years of the accident. I did not know that she was engaged with Dodi. It was new information that surprised me. I like how you introduced the main topic and gave different views from the same story. I enjoyed reading your article, and now I know something new about her story.

  • JoAnna Mendez

    Over the years, I have heard a couple of things concerning this topic, and I was never a hundred percent sure if it was a setup or not. However, after reading the information you provided us with, I can see why people believe that this incident was not an accident. The little details that don’t add up are what make this “accident” seem very suspicious, and the fact that one of the paparazzi that could have had the answer everyone wants happened to die adds to the pile of suspicion. At the end of the day, these people did have loved ones so, if they were killed or not, it must get tiring for them to constantly hear strangers talking about their deceased loved one’s deaths. So, even though it is a little irritating to not get the full truth, it’s understandable why Fayed stopped looking for the answers to his questions.

  • Kimberly Rivera

    I was not well informed about Princess Diana’s death but during these following month’s increased people have been speaking about it and this article opens my eyes to how mysterious it is. As the number of theories grow about the accident arises it becomes more fascinating. It even more mysterious how Princess Diana wrote a letter where a car accident is mentioned and how paranoid she was.

  • Karla Fabian

    The death of Princess Diana has always been a great mystery, which has led me to watch a lot of documentaries, read a lot about her and her influential life. The death of Princess Diana left an open wound in the world, which has not been fully healed, as we commemorate her death every year and admire her actions as an extraordinary royal who went outside the norms to do what she believed was the proper duty. One thing that I was unaware of before reading the article was the alleged conspiracies surrounding her death. One theory that I was uninformed of was the one that claimed that Dodi was the intended target. Some believe that the death of Princess Diana was that she was caught in a crossfire revenge plot due to Dodi’s father’s questionable connections. However, it is essential to see how Princess Diana left a mark in the world, even though her death was very tragic and still deals with secrecy and drama.

  • Santos Mencio

    As someone who knows little about the death of Princess Diana other than the media’s involvement with it, this article served as a well-written foray into the topic. The amount of secrecy and drama surrounding the accident is fascinating. I think that in the end, the only way we’ll ever really know what happened is if someone with substantial new information came forward.

  • Alicia Martinez

    A fair share of conspiracy theories always surround significant figures and untimely deaths. However, with Princess Diana’s connection to the royal family, I have no doubt that there is a deeper explanation for her death. From her diaries and various documentaries that shed light to her experience with the royal family, she described a toxic environment that was determined to keep the image of their family as prestige as possible. Personally I do not understand how Diana threatened them, but I do think there is more than what we are told in media.

  • Ian Mcewen

    whenever there is a political death there is always conspiracy theories that they were murdered by rivals or to coverup information. while there are some deaths that are suspect, and politics can be very cutthroat at times this can lead to a certain belief that there are government conspiracies’. while I believe that the government hides things that it shouldn’t from the public, there are those that are paranoid and will look for any reason to confirm their beliefs.

  • Julia Aleman

    This story is very interesting to look at in today’s time, especially with this history possibly being repeated with Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. There’s so many secrets and untold stories behind the Royal Family that I don’t blame Meghan and Harry for leaving the family. It just seems like the royal family did as much as they could to cover up Diana’s death and who knows what she knew that could’ve ruined their reputation.

  • Madeline Chandler

    In all honesty, I have heard of the tragic of Princess Diana yet I did not know it in this detail. The detail that surprised me the most was that she was pregnant at the time of the crash. It is devastating that the press would ignore the privacy of a women to just benefit themselves which ended in death. Also it was such a transition for Europe and honestly the world that their beloved royal was dead. This was no easy thing for anyone to swallow.

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