Tessa Quinn
Princess Diana of Wales died in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris, France, on August 31, 1997. She was 36 years old. At the time, she was in a relationship with Dodi Al Fayed, and the couple was being pursued by paparazzi. The driver of the car, Henri Paul, was found to be intoxicated by alcohol and under the influence of prescription drugs. The car crashed into a support column, flipping and coming to a rest in front of oncoming traffic. Al Fayed and the driver died instantly, while Princess Diana was taken to Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, where she died a few hours later.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of death | 31 August 1997 |
| Time of death | 4:00 a.m. |
| Time of death announcement | 5:00 a.m. |
| Cause of death | Car crash |
| Location of crash | Pont de l'Alma tunnel, Paris, France |
| People involved in the crash | Princess Diana, Dodi Al Fayed, Henri Paul, Trevor Rees-Jones |
| Survivors of the crash | Trevor Rees-Jones |
| Princess Diana's last words | "My God, what has happened?" |
| Hospital | Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris |
| Time of arrival at the hospital | 2:06 a.m. |
| Time taken to reach the hospital | Influenced by time taken for emergency services to arrive, time taken to remove Princess Diana from the car, and actual journey time from the crash site to the hospital |
| Treatment provided at the hospital | Doctors tried to restart her heart by cardiac massage and electric shocks |
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What You'll Learn
Ambulance arrival at the hospital
On the night of August 31, 1997, an ambulance carrying Princess Diana arrived at Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris, France. The ambulance passed the Hôtel-Dieu Hospital en route to Pitié-Salpêtrière, which was the main reception centre for multiple trauma patients in Paris. The decision to transfer her to Pitié-Salpêtrière was made by Marc Lejay, who was on dispatch duty that night, in consultation with Dr. Derossi, who was at the scene. Lejay stated that the Hôtel-Dieu hospital was not equipped with heart surgery or neurosurgical teams, and that he was aware that Dr. Bruno Riou, a skilled doctor in treating Diana's injuries, was on duty at Pitié-Salpêtrière.
The ambulance carrying Princess Diana arrived at the hospital at around 2:00 a.m., about an hour and a half after the first call for help was made. Diana had been involved in a serious car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel, where her car was found mangled and she was unconscious and struggling to breathe. Dr. Frederic Mailliez, an EMT who was driving through the tunnel at the time of the crash, recalled that Diana woke up in pain and kept saying how much she hurt. Diana's last reported words were, "My God, what has happened?"
Upon arrival at the hospital, Diana's heart stopped beating, and doctors worked tirelessly to try and restart it through cardiac massage and electric shocks. Unfortunately, they were unable to stop the internal bleeding, and she was pronounced dead at around 4:00 a.m. Dr. Riou announced her death at a news conference held at the hospital at 6:00 a.m., with the British ambassador to France, Michael Jay, in attendance.
The hospital staff faced a challenge in preparing Diana's body for viewing, as her sisters and Prince Charles were scheduled to view it before bringing it back to the United Kingdom. The mortuary was some distance away from the emergency room where Diana had been treated, so the hospital staff decided to press ahead with embalming, despite only having verbal authority from the local superintendent of police.
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Attempts to restart her heart
Princess Diana was involved in a car crash in Paris, France, on 31 August 1997. She was travelling with her boyfriend, Dodi Al Fayed, the driver, Henri Paul, and her bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones. The driver of the car, Henri Paul, was found to be intoxicated by alcohol and under the influence of prescription drugs. He lost control of the vehicle while trying to evade paparazzi photographers, and the car crashed into a pillar at high speed.
Princess Diana was still alive at the scene of the crash and was taken to Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, where doctors attempted to save her life. They tried to restart her heart for hours using cardiac massage and electric shocks, but were unable to stop the internal bleeding. Diana's injuries were extensive, and her heart had been displaced to the right side of her chest, tearing the upper left pulmonary vein and the pericardium.
Dr. Bruno Riou, head of the hospital's intensive care unit, announced her death at a news conference at 6:00 am. Diana's former husband, Charles, and her two sisters, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes, flew to Paris to accompany her body back to the United Kingdom.
The world was shocked by the sudden death of Princess Diana, and many people visited the crash site and the hospital, leaving flowers, candles, and messages. Memorials were also held in San Francisco and Los Angeles, and a permanent memorial, the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fountain, was later opened in Hyde Park, London.
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Princess Diana's last words
Princess Diana of Wales died on the 31st of August 1997, at the age of 36. She was in a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris, France, alongside her partner Dodi Fayed, their driver Henri Paul, and Fayed's bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones. The car collided with a column at high speed, and while Fayed and Paul were killed instantly, Princess Diana survived for a few hours before passing away from her injuries.
The last person Princess Diana spoke to before her death was a firefighter who led the response team, Xavier Gourmelon. In an interview with The Independent, Gourmelon revealed that he was able to get Princess Diana to breathe again by delivering chest compressions. He recalled her last words as: "My God, what has happened?".
Dr. Frederic Mailliez, an EMT who had been driving through the tunnel at the time of the crash, also recalled Princess Diana's final moments awake. He told Tina Brown, in her book "The Diana Chronicles", that Diana woke up in pain from the crash, saying: "She kept saying how much she hurt". Mailliez also mentioned that Diana became agitated when she saw the lifeless bodies of Fayed and Paul, before lowering her head and closing her eyes.
The world was shocked by Princess Diana's sudden death, and many memorials and tributes were dedicated to her. People brought flowers and candles to the site of the crash and the hospital where she died, and there was an increase in hospital admissions for depression and traumatic stress following her funeral.
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Cause of death
Princess Diana of Wales died in the early hours of August 31, 1997, in Paris, France. She was 36 years old. Her death was the result of a car crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel.
The princess had been vacationing in France with her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed, the son of Harrods department store owner Mohamed Al Fayed. On the night of August 31, the couple had dinner at the Ritz Paris, owned by the Fayed family, and later returned to the hotel after facing paparazzi attention at a restaurant. Shortly after midnight, they decided to leave the hotel for Dodi's apartment. They were driven by Henri Paul, the head of Ritz security, in a Mercedes S280 car.
The car was pursued by paparazzi when it entered the Pont de l'Alma tunnel. It collided with a support column, flipped, and came to a rest in front of oncoming traffic. Dodi Fayed and Henri Paul died instantly, while Diana survived the initial impact. She was extracted from the wreckage and went into cardiac arrest. First responders performed CPR and managed to revive her at the crash scene. Diana was then taken to the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, the main reception centre for multiple trauma patients in Paris.
At the hospital, doctors attempted to restart her heart for hours by cardiac massage and electric shocks. Diana's injuries were extensive, and she had suffered internal bleeding. Her heart had been displaced to the right side of her chest, tearing the upper left pulmonary vein and the pericardium. Despite the medical team's efforts, they were unable to stop the internal bleeding, and Diana was pronounced dead at around 4:00 a.m. The announcement of her death was made at a news conference held at the hospital at 6:00 a.m.
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Conspiracy theories
Princess Diana's death in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997 shocked the world and sparked numerous conspiracy theories. Here are some of the theories that have been put forward:
Delayed Hospitalization
One of the most talked-about conspiracy theories centres around the time it took for Princess Diana to receive medical treatment after the crash. There was a delay of almost two hours between the crash and her arrival at Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital. This delay has been scrutinized, with some suggesting that she may have survived if she had received medical attention sooner. The French system of emergency care, which prioritizes stabilizing patients at the scene before transporting them to specialized hospitals, has been a focus of this particular line of inquiry.
Embalming Procedures
Another point of contention is the embalming procedure that was performed on Princess Diana's body. Under French law, specific paperwork is required before embalming a body that may be subject to a post-mortem examination. In the case of Princess Diana, this paperwork was completed after the embalming had already taken place, raising suspicions about potential foul play. This delay in paperwork was attributed to the urgency of preparing her body for viewing by her family and the President of France, as the mortuary was some distance from the emergency room.
Alleged Pregnancy
There were also conspiracy theories surrounding Princess Diana's personal life at the time of her death. One such theory alleged that she was pregnant with her boyfriend Dodi Al Fayed's child. This theory was fuelled by the fact that a pregnancy test was not conducted during her post-crash treatment, leading to speculation that there was something to hide. However, medical professionals clarified that a pregnancy test would have been irrelevant to her treatment, and therefore, it was not carried out.
Security Services Conspiracy
Some conspiracy theories have implicated the security services in Princess Diana's death. Mohamed Al-Fayed, Dodi Al Fayed's father, has repeatedly accused members of the British Royal Family of plotting to kill the Princess and his son. These accusations were aired in court during the inquest into Princess Diana's death. Jeffrey Steinberg of the Executive Intelligence Review, an American publication, supported these claims and alleged that the Princess of Wales was murdered under the instructions of Prince Philip.
Paparazzi Involvement
The role of the paparazzi in the events leading up to the crash has also come under scrutiny. Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed were being pursued by photographers when their car crashed in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel. There were allegations that the paparazzi's aggressive behaviour may have contributed to the crash, and seven photographers were taken into police custody at the scene. However, Dr. Frederic Mailliez, an EMT present at the scene, stated that the photographers were not intrusive or troublesome, and did not interfere with his ability to provide medical care.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Princess Diana was alive when she arrived at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris. Ambulance workers managed to revive her at the crash scene, but her heart stopped beating on arrival at the hospital.
Princess Diana died from extensive injuries sustained in a car accident. Doctors tried to restart her heart for hours by cardiac massage and electric shocks, but after they were unable to stop the internal bleeding, they decided to stop treatment.
Princess Diana was initially unconscious after the crash, but she later woke up in pain and spoke some words. Early reports said she was unconscious throughout, but one French newspaper reported that she had shouted, "Oh my God, leave me alone, leave me alone!".
