Today marks the 18th anniversary of the tragic death of Princess Diana in a car crash in a Paris tunnel.
Both the Princess and a friend of hers, Dodi Fayed, along with the driver of the car, Henri Paul, lost their lives when the vehicle they were travelling in collided with a support column in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel.
Though she survived the crash, extensive internal injuries caused her death a few short hours later. News of the Princess’ passing shocked the world at the time, and conspiracy theories abounded about the intervention of the British Secret Service and other sources.
In truth, the driver of the car, Henri Paul, was ultimately to blame. He had been drinking just prior to driving the vehicle, and had taken some medications which exacerbated the effects of the alcohol. He lost control of the car while driving at high speed.
The Princess’ legacy in terms of humanitarian and charity work lives on, however, as does her charismatic presence and personality.