In 1997, Princess Diana tragically died in a car crash in France, a loss that has haunted the British public ever since. Diana, beloved for her compassion and known as the ‘People’s Princess,’ was only 36 years old at the time. The circumstances of that fateful day remain a source of confusion and sorrow.
On August 31, Diana was traveling in Paris with her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed. They were accompanied by Diana’s driver, Henri Paul, and Dodi’s bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones. Their vehicle was pursued by nine journalists through the Pont de l’Alma underpass when the driver lost control and crashed into a column. Henri Paul and Dodi Fayed died instantly, while Diana and Rees-Jones were left severely injured.
Firefighters and emergency services quickly arrived at the scene. Among them was firefighter Xavier Gourmelon, who later shared Diana’s final words. On the 20th anniversary of her death, Gourmelon recounted to Good Morning Britain that initially, the crew did not recognize the princess. Diana regained consciousness momentarily and said, “Oh my God, what’s happened?” She appeared agitated before losing consciousness again. Gourmelon tried to calm her, assuring her they would take care of her, but she soon fell into a coma.
The situation worsened as they removed Diana from the car. Gourmelon recalled that she went into cardiac arrest, prompting them to administer CPR. After 20 seconds, she regained consciousness and was transferred to an ambulance. Despite seemingly minor visible injuries and no apparent bleeding, Diana’s condition deteriorated.
Diana was taken to the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris, where she suffered another cardiac arrest and died at 4:00 am. Christopher Andersen, in his book “King: The Life of Charles III,” described the profound impact of Diana’s death on her ex-husband, Prince Charles. The news left him ‘ashen and trembling,’ and palace staff found him weeping uncontrollably in his room, overwhelmed by grief.