File 030 · 1997 · Assassination theory

The death of Princess Diana

Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris in August 1997. Two long investigations and a jury inquest found no evidence of a plot to murder her.

Background

On 31 August 1997 a Mercedes carrying Diana, her partner Dodi Fayed, driver Henri Paul and bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones crashed in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris after leaving the Ritz hotel while pursued by photographers. Dodi Fayed and Henri Paul died at the scene; Diana died in hospital hours later. Only Rees-Jones, who was the only person wearing a seat belt, survived.

Fayed's father, Mohamed Al-Fayed, publicly claimed that Diana had been murdered by the British security services on the orders of the royal family because she was pregnant and about to marry his son. Those claims were investigated in France and Britain.

What the record shows

• The French and British investigations concluded that the driver, Henri Paul, had been drinking and was driving at high speed, and that paparazzi pursuing the car contributed.
• Operation Paget examined claims about a staged crash, a white Fiat Uno, forged blood tests, MI6 involvement and a pregnancy, and found no evidence supporting them.
• A post-mortem examination found that Diana was not pregnant, according to the evidence given to the inquest.
• The inquest jury's verdict was 'unlawful killing', not murder, and was based on gross negligence by the drivers.

Timeline

• 31 Aug 1997 The crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris.
• 1999 A French judicial investigation concludes the crash was an accident.
• 2004–06 Operation Paget, a Metropolitan Police inquiry led by Lord Stevens, investigates the conspiracy claims.
• Dec 2006 The Paget report finds no evidence of a conspiracy to murder Diana.
• 2007–08 A coroner's inquest with a jury hears evidence from more than 250 witnesses.
• Apr 2008 The jury returns a verdict of unlawful killing through gross negligence of the driver and the following vehicles.

Checking the claims

The claim: Diana was assassinated by the British establishment. What the inquiries found: a fatal accident with identifiable causes (speed, alcohol, no seat belts, high-speed pursuit), and no evidence of a plan. The key conspiracy claims, such as the pregnancy and the blood sample, were tested and not supported.

Why the theory persisted is a lesson on how these stories spread. An event with a famous victim, official secrecy on some details, and a grieving family member with a public theory can create a narrative that looks more plausible than a traffic accident. The Paget report was explicit that it was addressing the claims at length for that reason.

Claimed, but not shown

The murder claims have been investigated by police in two countries and a jury inquest and were not supported by evidence.

Verdict

Sources

• Operation Paget: Report of the Metropolitan Police inquiry into the allegation of conspiracy to murder (December 2006)
• Inquests into the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and Mr Dodi Al Fayed, verdict (7 April 2008)
• French judicial investigation, conclusion (1999)

Connected files (red threads)

• The JFK Assassination — Another famous death surrounded by competing theories
• The Epstein files — A famous death around which conspiracy claims formed

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