What family is Lady Diana from? The Spencer family: who is really behind the tragedy of Princess Diana
Diana, Princess of Wales (photo posted later in the article) is the former wife of Prince Charles and the mother of the second in line heir to the British throne, Prince William. Just when she seemed to have found new love, she tragically died along with her new friend.
Diana, Princess of Wales: biography
Diana Frances Spencer was born on 07/01/1961 at Park House, near Sandringham, Norfolk. She was the youngest daughter of Viscount and Viscountess Elthrop, the now late Earl Spencer and Mrs Shand-Kydd. She had two older sisters, Jane and Sarah, and a younger brother, Charles.
The reason for Diana's lack of self-confidence should be sought in her upbringing, despite her privileged position. The family lived at the Queen's estate at Sandringham, where the father rented Park House. He was the royal equerry to the king and the young Queen Elizabeth II.
The Queen was the chief guest at the wedding of Diana's parents in 1954. The ceremony that took place at Westminster Abbey became one of the social events of the year.
But Diana was only six when her parents divorced. She will always remember the sound of her mother's footsteps walking down the gravel road. The children became pawns in a bitter custody dispute.
Lady Diana was sent to boarding school, and eventually ended up at West Heath School. Here she excelled in sports (her height of 178 cm helped this), especially in swimming, but failed all her exams. However, she subsequently remembered her school days fondly and supported her school.
After finishing her studies, she worked in London as a nanny, cook and then as an assistant teacher at the Young England nursery school in Knightsbridge.
Her father moved to Althrop near Northampton and became the 8th Earl Spencer. Her parents divorced and a new Countess Spencer emerged, daughter of the writer Barbara Cartland. But Diana soon became a family celebrity.
Engagement
Rumors spread that her friendship with the Prince of Wales had developed into something more serious. The press and television besieged Diana at every turn. But her days at work were numbered. The palace tried in vain to cool the speculation. And on February 24, 1981, the engagement became official.
Wedding
The wedding took place at St Paul's Cathedral on a perfect July day. Millions of television viewers around the world were mesmerized by the event, and a further 600,000 people gathered along the route from Buckingham Palace to the cathedral. Diana became the first Englishwoman in the last 300 years to marry the heir to the throne.
She was only 20. Under the gaze of her mother, leaning on her father’s hand, Diana of Wales (photo posted in the article) prepared to take her wedding vows. The only time she showed nervousness was when she was trying to put her husband's many names in the correct order.
Welcomed the newcomer. It was a moment of special satisfaction for the Queen Mother, who herself came from a simple family and had also walked this path 60 years ago.
Popularity
After the wedding, Diana, Princess of Wales, immediately began to take an active part in the performance of official duties of the royal family. She soon began making visits to schools and hospitals.
The public noted her love for the people: she seemed to sincerely rejoice in her stay among ordinary people, although she herself was no longer like that.
Diana brought her own fresh style to the mix that was the House of Windsor. The idea of royal visits was nothing new, but it added a spontaneity to it that captivated almost everyone.
On her first official trip to the United States, she provoked near-hysteria. There was something special about someone other than the American president becoming the center of attention, especially among Americans. Since her dazzling appearance during her first public appearance with her husband, Diana's wardrobe has become a constant focus of attention.
Charity
Princess Diana of Wales, whose rise to popularity owes much to her charity work, played an important role in raising awareness of the plight of people with AIDS. Her speeches on this issue were frank, and she put an end to many prejudices. Simple gestures, such as Diana of Wales shaking hands with an AIDS patient, proved to society that social contact with patients was safe.
Her patronage was not limited to boardrooms. Sometimes she went to tea at the charities she supported. Abroad, Diana, Princess of Wales, spoke about the plight of the disadvantaged and marginalized. During her visit to Indonesia in 1989, she publicly shook hands with lepers, dispelling widespread myths about the disease.
Family life
Diana always dreamed of a big family. A year after her marriage, on June 21, 1982, she gave birth to a son, Prince William. In 1984, on September 15, he had a brother, Henry, although he was better known simply as Harry. Diana advocated raising her children as normally as royal circumstances could allow.
William became the first male heir to be raised in kindergarten. Private teachers did not teach their sons; the boys went to school with others. Their mother insisted that their education be as normal as possible, showering them with love and providing entertainment during the holidays.
But by the time Prince Harry was born, the marriage had become just a façade. In 1987, when Harry entered kindergarten, the couple's separation became public. It's a holiday for the press.
During an official visit to India in 1992, Diana sat alone at the Taj Mahal, the great monument to love. It was a graphic public announcement that, although the couple technically remained together, they had in fact broken up.
Revealing book
Four months later, the publication of Andrew Morton's Diana: Her True Story put an end to the fairy tale. The book, based on interviews with some of the princess's closest friends, and with her own tacit consent, confirmed that the relationship with her husband was cold and distant.
The author recounted the princess's half-hearted suicide attempts during the early years of her marriage, her struggle with bulimia, and her obsession with the belief that Charles continued to love the woman he had dated several years before her, Camilla Parker Bowles. The prince later confirmed that he and Camilla were indeed having an affair.
During a state visit to South Korea, it was clear that Diana and Charles, Princess of Wales, were growing apart. Soon after, in December 1992, the divorce was officially announced.
Divorce
Diana continued her charitable activities even after the disagreement. She spoke about social issues, and sometimes, as in the case of bulimia, her donations were based on personal suffering.
Wherever she went, on public or private business, often with her children to whom she devoted herself, the media was present to document the event. It became something of a PR battle with her ex-husband. After her divorce, Diana, Princess of Wales, showed her skill in using the media to present herself in a favorable light.
She later spoke about what she believed her ex-husband's camp was doing to make her life more difficult.
On November 20, 1995, she gave an unprecedented and surprisingly open interview to the BBC. She told millions of television viewers about her post-natal depression, the breakdown of her marriage to Prince Charles, her tense relationship with the royal family in general and, most shockingly, she claimed that her husband did not want to be king.
She also predicted that she would never become a queen and that she would instead like to become a queen in people's hearts.
Diana, Princess of Wales and her lovers
The pressure on her from the popular newspapers was relentless, and stories about her male friends destroyed her image as a resentful wife. One of these friends, army officer James Hewitt, became the source of a book about their relationship, to her horror.
Diana of Wales accepted the divorce only after insistence from the Queen. When things came to a head on August 28, 1996, she said it was the saddest day of her life.
Diana, now officially Princess of Wales, abandoned most of her charitable work and began to look for a new field of activity. She had a clear idea that the role of “queen of hearts” should remain hers, and she illustrated this with visits abroad. In June 1997, Diana visited who was in poor health.
In June, she auctioned off 79 dresses and ballgowns that appeared on magazine covers around the world. The auction raised £3.5 million for charity and also symbolized a break with the past.
Tragic death
In the summer of 1997, Diana of Wales was spotted with Dodi Fayed, the son of millionaire Mohammed Al-Fayed. Photos of the princess with Dodi on a yacht in the Mediterranean Sea appeared in all tabloids and magazines around the world.
The couple returned to Paris on Saturday August 30 after another holiday in Sardinia. After dinner at the Ritz that evening, they left in a limousine and were pursued by photographers on motorcycles who wanted to take more pictures of the couple in love. The chase led to tragedy in an underground tunnel.
Princess Diana of Wales was a breath of fresh air and brought glamor to the House of Windsor. But she became a sad figure for many when the truth about her failed marriage was revealed.
Critics accuse her of stripping the monarchy of the mysticism so important to its survival.
But by the strength of her character in difficult personal circumstances and the unflagging support she provided to the sick and disadvantaged, Diana of Wales earned respect for herself. She remained a figure of public admiration and love to the end.
Princess Diana (1961-1997) was the first wife of Charles, heir to the British throne. Her family life officially lasted from 1981 to 1996. But the couple have lived separately since 1992. The divorce was initiated by Queen Elizabeth II of England. It took place in 1996, and a year later the princess died in a car accident. This woman was extremely popular all over the world. More than 20 years have passed since her death, but people remember Diana and speak warmly of her. In 2002, the BBC conducted a survey to determine the ranking of the best Britons. In this list, consisting of 100 famous names, our heroine took 3rd place.
Charles, Diana and their children: younger Harry and older William, 1987
Charles and Diana had 2 sons - Prince William (born 1982) and Prince Harry (born 1984). Currently these are adults. The eldest is married, and his marriage is very successful. He married Catherine Middleton. She was born in 1982, so the couple are the same age. The wedding ceremony took place on April 29, 2011 at Westminster Abbey. 2000 people took part in the ceremony. This was not a simple wedding, but a historical event. It is not at all impossible that Catherine will eventually become Queen of England. After the wedding, she received the title of Duchess of Cambridge.
It must be said that Princess Diana's children were distinguished by uncontrollable characters from an early age. But after their mother and father divorced, the boys became softer and more flexible. The subsequent death of their mother had a very difficult effect on their psyche. However, the father always tried to surround his sons with attention and care.
From left to right: Elizabeth II, Prince William, his wife Catherine Middleton and Prince Harry, 2012.
Eight years later he married Camilla Parker Bowles. The stepmother's relationship with William and Harry was quite friendly from the first days. Camilla always tried to be kind and affectionate. As for Katherine, she is notable not only for her beauty. This woman is distinguished by common sense and in everything she subordinates her personal interests to the requirements of the royal court. Elizabeth II loves her very much. At least no less than she loved Diana in her time.
The friendship between William and his future wife began in 2002. But they were sometimes friends, sometimes they grew cold towards each other. Only since 2007 did their relationship become stable. On November 16, 2010, this couple announced their engagement. Thus, the eldest of Princess Diana's children has found his other half. The family life of young people is calm and happy.
A huge event not only for the country, but also for the whole world was the birth of a son to this crowned couple. The boy was born on July 22, 2013 at 16:24 local time. He was born at St Mary's Hospital in London, where his father was born 31 years ago. In accordance with ancient custom, a special messenger delivered the good news to Buckingham Palace. But in the 21st century, he no longer rides a hot horse, but rides a car.
The baby's weight was 3.8 kg. He was given the title of Prince of Cambridge and named George. Full name: George Alexander Louis. Again, according to custom, all British children born on the same day as the heir to the throne receive a silver coin. It symbolizes memory and happiness. The town crier reports the historical event, and the sensational news immediately spreads throughout the world. England strictly honors ancient traditions, which evokes great respect among the inhabitants of the planet.
But the crowned couple did not limit themselves to one child. In October 2014, it was officially announced that the second child would be born in April 2015. Catherine Middleton and her husband were very wrong. On May 2, 2015, at 8:34 a.m. local time, a girl was born. The newborn's weight was 3.71 kg. The charming baby was named Charlotte. Her full name is Charlotte Elizabeth Diana of Cambridge. Thus, the heirs of the English crown had a girl.
The third child was born on April 23, 2018. This is a boy named Louis. Full name: Louis Arthur Charles. He was born at St. Mary's Hospital at 11:01 a.m. local time. The weight of the newborn was 3.8 kg. His full official title is His Royal Highness Prince Louis of Cambridge.
As for Harry’s youngest son, he has proven himself to be the best in public life. He is a good athlete and played for the junior team in the polo championship in distant Australia. He graduated from the military academy and was in Africa. In 2007-2008 he took part in combat operations in Afghanistan. Since September 2012, I found myself in this country again. He fought bravely and flew combat helicopters. In January 2013 he returned to England. But this concerns public affairs, but in his personal life the prince for a long time could not decide on the lady of his heart.
From 2004 to 2010, Harry was friends with Chelsea Davy (b. 1985). This is the daughter of a millionaire from Zimbabwe. She looks fragile and blonde, but she is great with horses. Can ride horseback without a saddle. Easily deals with poisonous snakes - strangles them with his hands. That is, the lady is desperate and is not afraid of either the devil or the devil. At the same time, she received an excellent legal education and works in a prestigious law office.
Cressida Bonas
Everything seemed to be going towards the wedding, but then Chelsea changed her mind. The officialdom of the royal court was not to the liking of a woman accustomed to a simpler life. After the breakup, Harry met Cressida Bonas. This is a hereditary model. Her mother Mary-Gay shone on the catwalk in the 70s of the last century and did not leave nightclubs. She got married 4 times, and as you know, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
This means that Cressida inherited all the main character traits from her mother. Friends call her “a wild thing.” Harry's life with her would hardly be quiet and calm. But, fortunately, Princess Diana's children have always had prudence. The relationship between the model and the prince was never serious. In addition to the “wild thing,” the youngest member of the royal family also had backup options until the summer of 2016. This is Melissa Percy and Flea-Brudenell-Bruce.
Harry and Melissa Percy. The girl can't even buy shoes for herself, but Harry is a nice guy: money is not the main thing for him
But all these relationships died out for a long time, since in August 2016 Harry began an affair with the American actress and model Meghan Markle. This information was officially confirmed in November of the same year. And on November 27, 2017, the 36-year-old actress and Harry officially announced their engagement. The wedding took place on May 19, 2018 at Windsor Castle in St. George's Chapel.
The prince had long dreamed of a family and more than once said that he wanted a wife like his older brother. Catherine Middleton is like an older sister to him. She even replaced his mother in some ways. This is an ideal option for the scion of the royal family. Beautiful appearance, common sense, willingness to subordinate his personal life to the interests of the reigning dynasty.
Prince Harry with his wife Meghan, Duchess of Sussex
According to Harry himself, he loves to tinker with children and wants his wife to give him many children. And this desire began to come true on May 6, 2019. Early that morning, Megan gave birth to a boy. He became the 7th claimant to the British throne. They named him Archie Harrison. But it seems that the couple will not limit themselves to one child. There will be other adorable babies in the royal family.
In conclusion, I would like to say that the children of Princess Diana and the grandchildren of Elizabeth II are worthy successors to the royal dynasty. In this matter, proud British people can be absolutely calm. Over time, the throne will be occupied by self-sufficient and noble people who care about the good of their nation.
The article was written by Vyacheslav Semenyuk
Fifteen years ago, on the night of August 31, 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales, died in a car accident in Paris.
Diana, Princess of Wales, née Lady Diana Frances Spencer, is the former wife of the heir to the British throne, Prince Charles, and the mother of Princes William and Harry.
In 1975, Diana's father Edward John Spencer assumed the title of Earl.
Diana studied at Riddlesworth Hall School in Norfolk and West Heath School in Kent, then at school in Chateau d'Oex in Switzerland.
After finishing school, she returned to England and began working as a kindergarten teacher in London.
Their first son, William, was born on June 21, 1982, and their second son, Harry, was born two years later on September 15, 1984.
After the divorce, Diana was deprived of the right to be called a member of the royal family, but she retained the title of Princess of Wales.
There are several versions of the cause of Princess Diana's death.
In January 2004, hearings were launched to establish the circumstances of the death of Dodi al-Fayed and Princess Diana.
The hearing was adjourned pending an investigation into the Paris car crash and was resumed on 2 October 2007 at the Royal Courts of Justice in London. The jury heard testimony from more than 250 witnesses from eight countries.
Following the hearings, the jurors came to the conclusion that the illegal actions of the tabloid journalists who were pursuing their car, and the careless driving of the car by the driver Henri Paul. The main cause of the accident was said to be drunken driving by Henri Paul.
By the end of 2013, Kensington Palace, where Princess Diana lived after her divorce, . The couple will move into the new wing, which was occupied by Queen Elizabeth II's sister, Princess Margaret, until her death.
On June 21, 2012, on his thirtieth birthday, Prince William inherited it from his late mother. The total amount was ten million pounds sterling (about $15.7 million).
Many books have been written about Princess Diana, films have been made, including the film “Unlawful Killing” directed by Keith Allen, which was shown at the 64th Cannes Film Festival.
In September 1997, the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund was founded using public donations and proceeds from the sale of souvenirs, including Elton John's single "Candle In The Wind" dedicated to the princess. fund).
In March 1998, it was announced that the foundation would provide grants of £1 million to each of the six charities officially supported by Princess Diana (English National Ballet, Leprosy Mission, National AIDS Society, Centrepoint, Children's Hospital Great Ormond Street, Royal Marsden Hospital).
Grants of £1 million were also provided to the Children's Osteopathic Center and organizations that help landmine victims. A further £5 million was shared among around 100 other charities in the arts, health, education, sport and children's sectors.
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources
The tragedy occurred on August 31, 1997, when the car in which Princess Diana was traveling, under mysterious circumstances, crashed into the 13th column of the tunnel under the Alma Bridge. Then everything was attributed to the driver being drunk and an unfortunate coincidence of circumstances. Was this really so? A few years later, a list of facts appears that can take a different look at the “accident” on that fateful day.
A surprise for many was the letter from Princess Diana herself, written by her 10 months before her own death, which was published in 2003 by the English newspaper “Daily Mirror”. Even then, in 1996, the princess was worried that her life was in the “most dangerous phase” and someone (the newspaper’s name was hidden) wanted to eliminate Diana by setting up a car accident. Such a turn of events would have paved the way for her ex-husband Prince Charles to remarry. According to Diana, for 15 years she was “harassed, terrorized and mentally tortured by the British system.” “I cried all this time as much as no one in the world cried, but my inner strength did not allow me to give up.” The princess felt something was wrong, as many people sense the approach of trouble, but did she really know about the impending assassination attempt? Was there really a conspiracy against Lady Di?
One of the first to suggest such a development of events was billionaire Mohammed Al-Fayed, the father of Dodi Al-Fayed, who died along with Diana. However, the French special services, which investigated the circumstances of the car accident, concluded that the princess’s Mercedes with driver Henri Paul collided in the tunnel with the Fiat of one of the paparazzi while trying to overtake. Wanting to avoid a collision, Paul drove the car to the side and crashed into the ill-fated 13th column. From that very moment, questions began to arise to which there are still no clear answers.
According to Mohamed Al-Fayed, the driver Henri Paul was indeed involved in the accident, but not quite as the official version says. The billionaire claims that the presence of a large amount of alcohol in the driver’s blood is the machinations of doctors who are also involved in this case. In addition, according to Mohammed’s words, Paul was an informant for the British intelligence service M6. It also seems strange that paparazzi James Andanson, the driver of the Fiat Uno that Diana’s Mercedes collided with, died in 2000 under very strange circumstances: his body was found in a burned-out car in the forest. The police considered it a suicide, but Al-Fayed thinks differently.
Another interesting fact is that a few weeks after the photographer’s death, the agency where he worked was attacked. The armed men took the workers hostage and fled only after they had taken out all the photographic materials and equipment. It later became known that the day after the accident, a photographer from the same agency, Lionel Cherrault, was left in the tunnel without equipment and materials. The police tried by all means to cover up this case, which, in principle, they succeeded in doing.
It also seems strange that the cameras monitoring the route from the Ritz Hotel, where Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed lived, to the exit from the tunnel around the clock, were for some reason turned off during the passage of the Mercedes.
Richard Tomlinson, an officer of the British intelligence service M6, shared interesting information regarding this case under oath. For example, that immediately before the death of the princess, two M6 special agents arrived in Paris, and in the Ritz hotel itself, M6 had its own informant. Tomlinson is confident that this informant was none other than the driver Henri Paul. Maybe that’s why the driver had two thousand pounds sterling in cash and one hundred thousand in his bank account at the time of the accident, with a salary of 23 thousand a year.
The official version of the driver’s intoxication is more than shaky, largely relying on indirect and inaccurate evidence. For example, after the accident, the driver's body lay in the sun for a long time in very hot weather instead of being placed in the refrigerator. In the heat, the blood “fermented” quite quickly, after which it was not possible to distinguish the alcohol consumed from the alcohol produced as a result of changes in the body. The second “irrefutable evidence” of the driver’s alcoholism is that he was taking the drug tiapride, which is often prescribed to alcoholics. However, tiapride is also used as a sleeping pill and sedative. It was precisely the calming effect that Henri Paul could have sought after a break with his family!
When the driver was autopsied, no signs of alcoholism were found in his liver, and just before the crash, Paul underwent a full medical examination to renew his pilot's license. However, Mohammed Al-Fayed's sources claim that before the accident, carbon monoxide was found in Henri Paul's blood, which can throw a person out of balance in life. How did it get into the driver’s body and, most importantly, who benefited from it? Surely the French intelligence services know something about this issue, but so far they are in no hurry to share information.
A bright flashing light, described by several witnesses, may have helped the tragedy unfold. Brenda Wills and Françoise Levistre have been talking about this for a long time, talking about a bright strobe light in the tunnel under the Alma bridge. Nobody took the words of the two women seriously (or wanted to accept them), despite the mention of these facts in authoritative periodicals. On the contrary, the witnesses, especially the Frenchwoman Levistre, were advised to be locked up in a psychiatric hospital.
The reference to the flashing light during the accident struck British intelligence officer Richard Tomlinson because he had access to secret M6 documents relating to the Milosevic affair. One of these documents outlined a plan to assassinate the Yugoslav leader: staging a car accident using bright flashing lights. (You can read about the effects of light under certain conditions in the article “Measuring.”)
Why were there no surveillance cameras in the tunnel, although no problems were noticed at the Ritz Hotel itself? Of course, this can be attributed to an accident or misunderstanding. But what really happened? We may never be able to reconstruct the full picture of the events, although there is hope for an investigation by the French intelligence services. Will they share information with the common people?
Princess Diana. Last day in Paris
A film about the last weeks of the life of one of the most famous women of the twentieth century - Diana, Princess of Wales. Diana's unexpected and tragic death in August 1997 shocked the world no less than the assassination of President Kennedy. From the very beginning, the tragedy that happened on August 31, 1997 was surrounded by many conflicting rumors and the most incredible assumptions.
Who killed Princess Diana?
Ten years ago, the worst car accident of the last century occurred. The legendary Lady Di, an English princess, a female symbol, died in a Paris tunnel (See the photo gallery “The Life Story of Princess Diana”). On August 27 and 28, the REN TV channel will show the documentary film “A Purely English Murder.” The authors conducted their own investigation and tried to find out whether this tragedy was an accident.
On August 31, 1997, at 0:27 a.m., the car containing Princess Diana, her friend Dodi al-Fayed, driver Henri Paul and Diana's bodyguard Trevor Rhys-Jones crashes into the 13th pillar of the bridge over the Alma tunnel. Dodi and driver Henri Paul die on the spot. Princess Diana will die at about 4 a.m. in hospital.
Version 1 Paparazzi killers?
The first version expressed by the investigation: several reporters who were riding scooters were to blame for the accident. They were chasing Diana's black Mercedes, and one of them may have interfered with the princess's car. The Mercedes driver, trying to avoid a collision, crashed into a concrete bridge support.
But, according to eyewitnesses, they entered the tunnel a few seconds after Diana’s Mercedes, which means they could not have caused the accident.
Lawyer Virginie Bardet:
— In fact, there is no evidence of the photographers’ guilt. The judge said: "There is no evidence of manslaughter in the actions of the photographers which led to the deaths of Diana, Dodi al-Fayed, Henri Paul and the incapacitation of Trevor Rhys-Jones."
Version 2 Mysterious “Fiat Uno”
The investigation puts forward a new version: the cause of the accident was a car, which by that time was already in the tunnel. In the immediate vicinity of the crashed Mercedes, detective police discovered fragments of a Fiat Uno.
Jacques Mules, head of the detective police team: “The fragments of the rear light and paint particles that we discovered allowed us to calculate all the characteristics of the Fiat Uno within 48 hours.”
When interviewing eyewitnesses, police allegedly found out that a white Fiat Uno zigzagged out of the tunnel a few seconds after the accident. Moreover, the driver looked not at the road, but in the rearview mirror, as if he saw something, for example, a crashed car.
The detective police determined the exact characteristics of the car, its color and year of manufacture. But even with information about the car and a description of the driver’s appearance, the investigation was unable to find either the car or the driver.
Francis Gillery, author of his own independent investigation: “All cars of this brand in the country were checked, but none of them showed signs of a similar collision. The white Fiat Uno disappeared into the ground! And the eyewitnesses of the accident who saw him began to get confused in the testimony, from which it was not clear whether the white Fiat was at the scene of the tragedy at the ill-fated moment.”
It is interesting that the version about the white Fiat that allegedly caused the accident, as well as the information about the left turn signal found at the scene of the tragedy, was not made public immediately, but only two weeks after the incident.
Version 3British intelligence services
Only today are details becoming known that for some reason it was customary not to mention. As soon as a black Mercedes entered the tunnel, a bright flash of light suddenly cut through the twilight. It is so strong that everyone who observed it was blinded for a few seconds. And a moment later, the silence of the night is shattered by the squeal of brakes and the sound of a terrible impact. François Laviste was just leaving the tunnel at that time and was only a few meters from the scene of the tragedy. At first, the investigation accepted his testimony, and then recognized the only witness as unreliable.
The version spread at the suggestion of former MI6 employee Richard Thomplison. The former agent said that the circumstances of the death of Princess Diana remind him of the plan to assassinate Slobodan Milosevic, developed by the British intelligence services. The Yugoslav president was going to be blinded in the tunnel by a powerful flash.
The police are reluctant to include mention of the flash of light in the protocols. Eyewitnesses are nervous and insist on the veracity of their testimony. And a few months later, British and French newspapers published a sensational statement by former British intelligence agent Richard Tomplison that the latest laser weapons, which are in service with the intelligence services, may have been used in the Alma tunnel.
Fiat Uno is back on stage
But how could fragments of a car that would never be found appear at the scene of the incident? The media version is that the fragments of the Fiat were planted by those who prepared this accident in advance and wanted to disguise it as a regular accident. The press insists that these are British intelligence services.
The intelligence services knew that the white Fiat would definitely be next to Princess Diana's car that night. It was in the white Fiat that one of the most famous and successful paparazzi in Paris, James Andanson, drove. He couldn’t miss such an opportunity to make money from photographs of a celebrity couple that everyone was interested in...
The media suggested that the services simply could not prove the involvement of the photographer and his car in the accident, although they really hoped. Andanson was indeed in the tunnel that night. True, according to some of his colleagues who were at the Ritz Hotel on the evening of August 30, 1997, this was a rare case when the photographer arrived at work without a car. And perhaps that is why the version developed by someone about Andanson’s guilt in the accident lost its central link even before Dodi and Diana left the hotel. On the other hand, Andanson could indeed have been involved in the accident. He repeatedly came to the attention of the al-Fayed family's security service, and for them, of course, it was no secret that Andersen was not only a successful photographer. Al-Fayed's security service allegedly managed to obtain evidence that the photographer was an agent of the British intelligence service. But Dodi’s father, for some reason, now does not consider it necessary to present them to the investigation. James Andanson was not a random figure in this tragedy.
Andanson was seen in the tunnel, and he was indeed one of the first there. They also saw a car at the scene of the tragedy that was very similar to his car, albeit with different license plates, possibly fake.
But then questions begin to which there is no answer. Why did the photographer, who spent several hours at the Ritz Hotel for the sake of a sensational photo, suddenly not waiting for Diana with Dodi al-Fayed, for no apparent reason left his post and went straight to the tunnel. After the accident, Andanson, without even waiting for the outcome, when a crowd just began to gather in the tunnel, suddenly disappears. Literally in the middle of the night - at 4 o'clock in the morning - he flies from Paris on the next flight to Corsica.
Some time later, in the French Pyrenees, his body will be found in a burnt car. While the police are establishing the identity of the deceased, unknown persons steal all the papers, photographs and computer disks related to the death of Princess Diana from the office of his Parisian photo agency.
If this is not a fatal coincidence, then Andanson was eliminated either as an unwanted witness or as the perpetrator of the murder.
In September 1999, another reporter, who was next to a mangled black Mercedes that ill-fated night, died in a Paris hospital. Reporter James Keith was preparing for minor knee surgery but told friends: "I have a feeling I won't be coming back." After being discharged from the hospital, the reporter was going to publish documents about the causes of the accident on the Alma Bridge, but within a few hours after his death, the Internet web page with details of the investigations and all materials were destroyed.
Who turned off the cameras?
The police officers working at the scene decide to include the recordings of road surveillance cameras in the case. It is from them that one can determine exactly how the accident occurred and how many cars were in the tunnel at the time of the collision. The road service workers who were called do not understand why there is such a rush, and only wonder why the films cannot be viewed tomorrow morning. But when they open the boxes in which the video cameras are mounted, they are even more surprised. The video surveillance system, which works properly in all other points of Paris, by a strange coincidence, it was in the Alma tunnel that failed. One can only guess who or what caused this.
Version 4 Drunk driver
On July 5, 1999, almost two years later, newspapers from all over the world published a sensational statement from the investigation: the main blame for what happened in the Alma tunnel lies with the Mercedes driver Henri Paul. He was the chief of security at the Ritz Hotel and also died in this disaster. Investigators accuse him of driving drunk.
Michael Cowel, al-Fayed's official spokesman: “It was officially announced that he was driving the car at a speed of 180 km/h. Very fast. Now in the file it is written in small print: “The accident occurred at a speed of 60 (!) kilometers per hour.” Not 180 km/h, but 60!”
The statement that the driver was drunk sounded like a bolt from the blue. To prove or disprove this, you just need to take the deceased’s blood for analysis. However, it is this simple operation that will turn into a real detective story.
Jacques Mules, who was the first representative of the investigative authorities to arrive at the scene of the tragedy, said that a blood test showed the true state of affairs, which means that Henri Paul was indeed very drunk.
Jacques Mules, head of the detective police brigade: “Before leaving the Ritz, Princess Diana and Dodi al-Fayed were nervous. But the main thing that indicates an accident is the presence of alcohol - 1.78 ppm in the blood of the driver, Mr. Henri Paul. In addition, he was taking antidepressants, which also affected his driving behavior.”
Michael Cowel, al-Fayed's official spokesman: “The filming proves that Henri Paul behaved adequately in the hotel that evening, he talks to Dodi at such a distance, he talks to Diana. If even the slightest signs of intoxication had been revealed, Dodi, and he was very picky in this regard, would not have gone anywhere. He would have fired him altogether.”
To have that much alcohol in his blood, Henri Paul had to drink about 10 glasses of wine. Such intoxication could not have been overlooked by the photographers located near the hotel, but none of them indicated this in their testimony.
The examination data, indicating a state of severe intoxication, was ready within 24 hours after the autopsy. But this was officially announced only two years later. For 24 months, the investigation worked on the obviously weaker version of the guilt of the paparazzi or the presence of the Fiat Uno. And two years later, it’s unlikely that anyone who saw the hotel’s security chief, Henri Paul, that evening would be able to say with certainty whether he was completely sober.
A day after the accident, toxicology experts Gilbert Pépin and Dominique Lecomte had just completed a blood test on Henri Paul. The test tubes are placed first in a box and then in a refrigerator. The results are recorded in the protocol. According to what is written, the driver can be considered not just a little drunk, but simply drunk... But the numbers written in the column below are even more surprising: the level of carbon monoxide is 20.7%. If this is actually the case, the driver simply would not be able to stand on his feet, let alone drive the car. Only a person who committed suicide by inhaling gases from a car exhaust pipe could have such an amount of carbon monoxide in his blood that was found in Paul’s blood...
Michael Cowel, al-Fayed's official spokesman: "It is more than likely that the blood samples were switched, either accidentally or deliberately. They were somehow confused. There were many mistakes with tags in the morgue, which has now been proven...”
The French intelligence services also have something to hide in this story. Due to the fact that the remaining corpses still cannot be found, it is no longer so important whether the test tubes were changed by accident or whether it was a specially prepared action. Something else is important. Someone really needed the investigation to last as long as possible. So that there is as much confusion as possible. Test tubes with Henri Paul's blood could well have been replaced with the blood of another person who committed suicide.
For a long time, the investigative authorities insisted that there could be no mistake. This is indeed the blood of Henri Paul. However, the film crew of the REN TV channel, as a result of their own investigation, managed to prove that the blood, in which traces of alcohol and carbon monoxide were found, did not belong to Princess Diana’s driver.
Jacques Mules, the head of the detective police brigade, admitted to our film crew that he took test tubes with the blood of Henri Paul with his own hands and actually mixed up the numbers, giving away a test tube with the blood of a completely different person under the name of Princess Diana's driver.
Jacques Mules, head of the detective police brigade. “This is my mistake. The fact is that I worked for two days in a row and did not sleep at night. Due to fatigue, I mixed up the test tube numbers. I immediately informed the judge about this, but he said that it was not significant.”
It does not matter if the error was corrected immediately. And if not? What if, due to simple oversight or - even worse - deliberately, the results of the analysis remained falsified? There is still no answer to this question
Who is Henri Paul?
Henri Paul, head of security at the Ritz Hotel, is the only official culprit of the tragedy. In the investigative reports, he appears to be a complete neurasthenic and drunkard. Taxology experts point to the presence in Henri Paul’s blood, along with alcohol, of a significant amount of antidepressants. The doctor confirms that she prescribed Paul medications to treat depression. And to reduce cravings for alcohol, since, according to the doctor, the patient abused alcohol.
We decided to check whether the head of security at an elite hotel was actually an alcoholic and drug addict.
Cafe-restaurant "Le Grand Colbert". Henri Paul went here for dinner for many years.
Restaurant owner Joel Fleury: “I bought the restaurant in 1992. Henri Paul was already a regular here... He came here every week. No, he was not an alcoholic. It turned out that we practice in the same flight club - he flies light airplanes, I fly light helicopters.”
On the eve of the tragedy, Henri Paul undergoes a strict medical examination in order to renew his flying license. The doctor examines him and takes blood tests a day before the disaster.
Doctors found no traces of hidden alcoholism or traces of any medications in Henri.
After the death of Henri Paul, very large sums of money were discovered in his account, which, in theory, he could not earn. In total he had 1.2 million francs.
Boris Gromov, intelligence services historian: “Henri Paul, according to some British intelligence officers, was a full-time MI6 agent. His name was often mentioned in the files of this service. It is clear that there is nothing accidental here, and its role is clear. Because high-ranking government officials from various countries often stay at the Ritz Hotel... And serving there as the head of the security service is extremely beneficial for any intelligence service..."
40 minutes before the tragedy, Princess Diana still does not know that the driver of their car will not be Dodie’s personal bodyguard Ken Wingfield, but the head of the hotel’s security service, Henri Paul.
According to the version that the investigation initially had, his car turned out to be faulty. And so the couple set off in Henri Paul’s car. However, eight years later, Wingfield said his car was in good working order. It’s just that Henri Paul, as the head of the hotel’s security service, ordered Wingfield to stay and independently drove Diana and Dodi in his car along a different route. Why was Wingfield silent for so many years? What was he afraid of?
Diana's security guard Trevor Rhys-Jones, leaving the Ritz Hotel, sat down in his usual place - on the seat next to the driver, which is called the "dead man's seat." Due to the fact that during an accident it is most vulnerable. But Rhys-Jones survived. And Diana and Dodi al-Fayed, who were in the back seat, died. Today, the only survivor can say nothing about what happened in the tunnel. He has lost his memory and does not remember anything that would shed light on the events of that night. We can only hope that Rees-Jones will recover over time. But whether he will have time to say everything he remembers is unknown...
Dodi al-Fayed's bodyguard has been on the operating table for a long time. And despite the more severe wound, the doctors no longer doubted: the patient would live. At the same time, for some reason, they are trying to save Princess Diana in an ambulance.
The car is standing. It is impossible to perform procedures while moving.
In fact, according to experts, the princess died because someone decided that there was no need to go to the hospital. What is this, a mistake? Doctors' nerves? After all, they are people too.
Or maybe someone needed Diana to die?
When it was all over, the decision was made to send the princess's body on a special flight to London.
The plane from Paris to London flies no more than an hour. It would seem that there is no reason to linger in Paris, however, when the body of Princess Diana was taken to a British clinic, an incredible thing became clear. It turns out that before Diana’s corpse had time to cool down, it was hastily embalmed in violation of all the rules. And they prepare for burial. All this happens in Paris. While the special plane, without turning off the engine, waits for its sad cargo.
Michael Cowel, al-Fayed's official spokesman: "In violation of French law, this was carried out on behalf of the British Embassy, which, in turn, admits that it received instructions from a certain person."
The name of the person who ordered the embalming could not be established. The drugs used during embalming do not subsequently allow repeated examinations of the corpse. If British doctors wanted to re-find out what state, say, the princess’s state of health was in a few seconds before the disaster, they would not be able to do this.
That is why there are versions that perhaps some kind of gas was sprayed into the car, which made Henri Paul lose his orientation. Today it is impossible to confirm or refute this version.
Meanwhile, al-Fayed Sr. is convinced that Diana’s body was embalmed in order to hide the sensational fact. In his opinion, the English princess was pregnant with his son.
Virginie Bardet, photographers' lawyer: “We will never know whether Diana was pregnant. All documents are classified, only the cause of death has been made public: internal bleeding.”
EPILOGUE
The evidence collected is enough for numerous novels, but not enough for the Crown Prosecution Service. Non-functioning road surveillance cameras at the scene of the tragedy, witnesses of the accident dying one after another, the never found white Fiat Uno, carbon dioxide from the driver’s blood from nowhere, fabulous sums in the driver’s accounts, the criminal slowness of the French doctors and the too obvious haste of those who embalmed the body pathologists... The version of the contract killing has not been refuted by anyone. But it hasn't been proven either.
Jacques Mules, head of the detective police brigade: “There was a banal accident. Everything has been checked and rechecked a thousand times. And the search for a conspiracy, the details pulled from the finger... Espionage passions are ordinary fruits of fantasy. In the eyes of Great Britain and even the entire West, Princess Diana was a symbol of a beautiful dream. A dream cannot die in such an ordinary way.”
BY THE WAY
On August 31, the day of Lady Di’s death, Channel One will show the new film “Princess Diana. Last day in Paris" (21.25). And immediately after it ends at 23.10 - the Oscar-winning film “The Queen” with Helen Miren in the title role. About the reaction to the tragedy of the royal family.
“We weren’t going to stir up the royal family’s dirty laundry.” But after the assassination of John Kennedy, the death of Princess Diana is perhaps the loudest story. Using the example of the investigation into the death of Princess Diana, we wanted to understand how such cases are investigated in the West. Is the government interfering? Do politics influence such investigations?
We managed to learn a lot. And I would strongly recommend that the authorities pay attention to the role of American intelligence agencies in this story. After all, it is known that Diana was the object of surveillance and control on their part, especially in recent months. If they opened up their materials on Diana, I’m sure we would learn a lot of interesting things. Or maybe they would even find out the name of the killer.
Diana's story is unusual. If she had shown a little hypocrisy, or, to put it simply, simple worldly wisdom, everything would have been perfect for her! But she preferred the right to love who she wants to the throne.
The story of Prince Charles, in my opinion, is still awaiting its assessment. After all, look, in spite of everything - the will of his mother, state interests, public opinion - he has loved his Camilla for many years now.
Everything else is small compared to this...
Princess Diana as a child
Diana was born in Norfolk on the private estate of the Windsor dynasty, Sandringham. Diana's ancestors through her father John Spencer came from royal families through the illegitimate son of King Charles II and the illegitimate daughter of James II. Frances Rood, Diana's mother, was also from an aristocratic family. Diana spent her childhood in her native Sandringham Palace. There the girl received her primary education at home.
Little Diana. (pinterest.com)
Diana in childhood. (pinterest.com)
Her governess was Gertrude Allen, who had previously taught Diana's mother. A little later, the girl entered Silfield private school, and then Riddlesworth Hall preparatory school.
Diana as a teenager. (pinterest.com)
In 1969, Diana's parents divorced. The girl remained to live with her father in her home. Diana's sisters and brother stayed with them. The eight-year-old girl was very upset about the separation of those closest to her. Soon John Spencer married for the second time. The new stepmother did not like the children. Living in her own family was becoming increasingly difficult for Diana.
The Spencer Family, 1975. (pinterest.com)
When Diana was 12 years old, she was accepted into a privileged school for girls in Kent. Alas, Diana was unable to cope with her studies; she was never able to finish school. However, teachers noted her unconditional talent for music and dancing.
School years. (pinterest.com)
In 1975, Diana's grandfather, John's father, died. John Spencer automatically became the eighth Earl of Spencer, and Diana herself received the title of Lady. At the same time, the whole family moved to the ancient ancestral castle of Althorp House (Nottroughtonshire).
Youth
In 1977, Diana entered school in Rougemont (Switzerland). Soon the girl began to feel very homesick. As a result, in 1978, she decided to return to her native England.
Young Diana. (pinterest.com)
With a pony. (pinterest.com)
At first, Diana lived in the London apartment of her mother, who then mainly lived in Scotland. Two years later, in honor of her 18th birthday, Diana received an apartment in Earls Court as a gift. There she lived for some time with three friends.
Diana decided to find a job and got a job as an assistant teacher at the Young England kindergarten in central London. Diana adored children, so work was a joy for her.
Princess Diana and Charles
Diana met her future husband in the winter of 1977. At that time, Prince Charles came to Althrop to hunt. Diana took a liking to the noble young man at first sight.
On July 29, 1981, Diana and Charles married at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. A lush silk taffeta wedding dress with huge sleeves, a deep neckline and a long train, decorated with hand embroidery, pearls and rhinestones, has become one of the most famous dresses in history.
Charles and Diana on their wedding day. (pinterest.com)
3.5 thousand guests were invited to the ceremony, and 750 million people watched the wedding process live.
During the honeymoon, 1981. (pinterest.com)
In Scotland, 1981. (pinterest.com)
In 1982, Diana gave birth to a son, William. Two years later, another child appeared in the family - son Harry.
Family photo. (pinterest.com)
Diana and Charles with children. (pinterest.com)
Diana with children. (pinterest.com)
Princess Diana and Dodie
In the early 1990s, the relationship between Diana and Charles became cold. The discord between the spouses occurred due to Charles's intimate relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles, a married woman whom the prince dated before the wedding.
Diana herself kept in touch for some time with James Hewitt, her riding instructor. As a result, in 1992, Diana and Charles separated, but decided not to file a divorce. Queen Elizabeth II insisted on an official break. In 1996, Diana and Charles signed all the necessary documents.
In 1997, information appeared in the press that Lady Diana began a whirlwind romance with Dodi Al-Fayed, a successful film producer and son of Egyptian billionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed.
Diana and Dodi. (pinterest.com)
However, neither Diana herself nor her close friends confirmed this fact. It is likely that these were rumors.
Social activity
Lady Diana was called the “queen of hearts” - the woman was famous for her tender attitude towards the people, her care for those who were much less fortunate in this life than herself. Thus, Diana was quite actively involved in charity work, was an activist in the fight against AIDS, was engaged in peacekeeping activities and opposed the production of anti-personnel mines.
Princess in Moscow, 1995. (pinterest.com)
In 1995, Princess Diana of Wales visited Moscow. She visited the Tushino Children's Hospital and donated expensive equipment. The next day, Diana went to primary school No. 751, where she opened a branch of the Waverly House fund for helping disabled children.
Death of Princess Diana
On August 31, 1997, in a tunnel under the Pont Alma in Paris, Diana, Dodi Al-Fayed, Trevor Rhys Jones (bodyguard) and Henri Paul (driver) were involved in a car accident.
Dodi and Henri died on the spot. Diana was taken to the Salpêtrière hospital. For two hours, doctors fought for the life of the princess, but the injuries she received turned out to be incompatible with life.
The cause of the accident is still unknown. Trevor was unable to reconstruct the chain of events. Journalists put forward several versions of the disaster: Henri Paul's drunkenness, speeding in the hope of breaking away from the paparazzi, and a conspiracy theory against Diana.
