Even two decades after Princess Diana's tragic death in August 1997, the world remains captivated by the circumstances surrounding her untimely passing. Fans of the beloved People's Princess continue to grapple with emotional questions, including whether she was murdered or if she was carrying a child at the time. Countless conspiracy theories have only added layers of intrigue to her story.
In a bid to uncover the truth, the TLC special Princess Diana: Tragedy or Treason, aired on July 31, delved deep into the most popular conspiracy theories surrounding her death. Let’s explore some of the key aspects of Diana's life and death through this investigation.
For more heart-wrenching details, check out the story of the driver's heartbreaking moment when he thought Diana was still alive after the Paris car crash — "I Lost Myself."
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Was Princess Diana's Death an Accident or a Calculated Assassination?
The fateful car crash on August 31, 1997, in Paris claimed the lives of Diana, her boyfriend Dodi Fayed, and their driver Henri Paul. Miraculously, Diana’s bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones survived the crash. Authorities initially ruled it a drunk-driving accident. Blood tests later revealed that Henri, Diana's driver, had consumed the equivalent of ten glasses of wine before getting behind the wheel that night. The car reportedly reached speeds of up to 120 mph as Henri attempted to evade the relentless paparazzi.
But was it all just a tragic accident? After losing his son Dodi, Harrods magnate Mohamed Al-Fayed embarked on a personal crusade to uncover the truth. "I can't stop until I find the truth," Mohamed declared in an interview featured in the special. "I will pursue it everywhere, in France, in England—this is the right of a father who lost his child."
Mohamed alleged there was a massive cover-up by French authorities to erase evidence pointing to a possible murder by the UK's Secret Intelligence Service, or MI6. A former MI6 agent named Richard Tomlinson further fueled these suspicions by claiming that British intelligence had perfected techniques for vehicular assassination around that time. This revelation only heightened Mohamed's accusations.
For more on these theories, tune into the Conspiracy Theory of Everything Podcast on Vurbl.
Adding to the mystery, experts in the special pointed out that Henri Paul was unaccounted for several hours before the crash. At the time of his death, he was found with a significant amount of cash in his pockets, and his bank account held nearly $300,000—far exceeding his modest royal salary of $35,000 per year. Some have speculated that his toxicology reports may have been tampered with to make it appear as though he was drunk when, in fact, he might have been sober.
Diana with her sons, William and Harry, in May 1995. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
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What could have motivated such a heinous act? Mohamed believed that Diana and Dodi's romance was becoming serious, with Dodi reportedly having purchased a diamond ring for Diana and planning to propose. Mohamed also thought the royal family disapproved of their relationship because Dodi was Egyptian and Muslim.
Was Princess Diana Pregnant at the Time of Her Death?
In the months following Diana's death, French journalist Chris Laffaille claimed that the People's Princess was pregnant with her third child at the time of her passing. Laffaille cited official archives from the Paris hospital where Diana was treated, suggesting evidence of pregnancy. He also claimed that since Diana was nine to ten weeks pregnant in August 1997, the child's father could not have been Dodi but possibly her ex-boyfriend, British heart surgeon Hasnat Khan.
However, these claims were swiftly refuted by the royal coroner who conducted Diana's post-mortem examination. "She wasn't pregnant. I have seen into her womb," the coroner stated. A spokesperson for the Paris Public Hospitals also dismissed Laffaille's documents as forged, labeling the allegations as ridiculous and baseless.
