Historic ImageryOn Saturday, August 30, 1997, Diana and her rumored boyfriend, Egyptian billionaire Emad "Dodi" Fayed, arrived to Paris following a 10-day getaway on the French Riviera. They dined at the private salon at the Ritz Hotel in Paris. Coincidentally, Fayed's father, Mohammed Al-Fayed, owned the hotel at the time—along with Harrods Department store in London.
A few minutes past midnight on Sunday, Diana and Fayed left the hotel and got into the Mercedes Benz that was waiting for them, likely to travel to Fayed's private Parisian estate.
Though the posted speed limit was 30 mph, the driver, Henri Paul, reportedly approached the entrance of a road tunnel at Paris's Pont de l'Alma driving at approximately 70 mph. According to reports, Paul lost control of the car and collided into a pillar in the middle of the highway.
Paul and Fayed passed and Diana—still alive—was rushed to the Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital. Early reports said Diana had a concussion, broken arm, and cut thigh. However, the princess had also chest injuries. Operating for two hours, doctors tried to get Diana's heart beating properly again. She never regained consciousness. Diana passed away from internal bleeding at 4:53 on the morning of August 31, 1997.
In life, Diana revitalized the British monarchy and in death, she changed it forever. Today, her legacy lives on in everything from the Windsor’s more accessible approach to the public to William and Harry’s charity work to virtually everything Kate does. ‘The Diana Effect’ is alive and well and a guiding principle for today’s modern British monarchy.
A few minutes past midnight on Sunday, Diana and Fayed left the hotel and got into the Mercedes Benz that was waiting for them, likely to travel to Fayed's private Parisian estate.
Though the posted speed limit was 30 mph, the driver, Henri Paul, reportedly approached the entrance of a road tunnel at Paris's Pont de l'Alma driving at approximately 70 mph. According to reports, Paul lost control of the car and collided into a pillar in the middle of the highway.
Paul and Fayed passed and Diana—still alive—was rushed to the Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital. Early reports said Diana had a concussion, broken arm, and cut thigh. However, the princess had also chest injuries. Operating for two hours, doctors tried to get Diana's heart beating properly again. She never regained consciousness. Diana passed away from internal bleeding at 4:53 on the morning of August 31, 1997.
In life, Diana revitalized the British monarchy and in death, she changed it forever. Today, her legacy lives on in everything from the Windsor’s more accessible approach to the public to William and Harry’s charity work to virtually everything Kate does. ‘The Diana Effect’ is alive and well and a guiding principle for today’s modern British monarchy.