The Final Hours of Princess Diana: A Tragedy That Shook the World

It was just past midnight on August 31, 1997, when Princess Diana, accompanied by Dodi Fayed and their entourage, prepared to leave the Ritz Hotel in Paris. Their destination was Dodi’s apartment on the Champs-Elysées, a short drive across the French capital. Having spent much of the summer together in the south of France, the pair had been the subject of intense public and media speculation about the nature of their relationship.

The Fatal Journey Begins

Outside the Ritz, the Princess of Wales was ushered into a Mercedes-Benz W140, driven by Henri Paul, the hotel’s acting head of security. With paparazzi waiting, the group hoped to slip away quietly. But Henri Paul, later found to be intoxicated, began speeding through the streets of Paris at over 60 mph in an attempt to evade photographers. As they entered the Pont de l’Alma tunnel, the Mercedes clipped a white Fiat Uno, swerved, and smashed into a concrete pillar. In seconds, one of the most shocking royal tragedies of the 20th century had unfolded.

A Nation in Mourning

Both Dodi Fayed and Henri Paul were killed instantly. Princess Diana, critically injured, was rushed to the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, where doctors battled to save her life. Tragically, she succumbed to her injuries a few hours later at just 36 years old. The sole survivor of the crash was bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones, who was wearing a seat belt — the only passenger in the car to do so.

The World Says Goodbye

News of Diana’s death stunned Britain and reverberated around the globe. The days that followed were marked by unprecedented public grief, with millions leaving flowers, letters, and tributes outside royal residences. Her funeral, held on September 6, 1997, was watched by an estimated 32 million people in the UK — more than half the nation’s population at the time — and an estimated 2.5 billion viewers worldwide, making it one of the most-watched events in history.

A Legacy That Endures

More than two decades later, the final moments of Princess Diana’s life remain etched into collective memory. Beyond the tragedy, she is remembered as the “People’s Princess” — a woman of compassion, warmth, and humanity who used her global platform to champion causes from HIV awareness to the campaign against landmines. Her untimely death was not just the loss of a royal figure but the silencing of a voice that had inspired millions.