by Susan Flantzer © Unofficial Royalty 2013
August 31, 1997 – Death of Diana, Princess of Wales in Paris, France; buried at Althorp, Northamptonshire, England
At 4 am (Paris time) Sunday 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales died in hospital after being involved in a car crash which instantly killed Dodi Fayed and the driver of the car. Diana’s car was being chased by photographers on motorbikes at high speeds when the crash happened in the Ponte l’Alma Tunnel. Investigation of the accident also brought to light that the driver of the car was more than three times over the (French) alcohol limit.
The Pont de l’Alma Tunnel in Paris, where the fatal accident occurred; Photo Credit – Susan Flantzer
The Prince of Wales, along with Diana’s two sisters, flew to Paris to accompany Diana’s coffin back to Britain. Draped with the Royal Standard, the coffin was taken to the Chapel Royal at St. James’ Palace. The funeral was held on Saturday 6 September in Westminster Abbey, following a procession from Kensington Palace. After the service, Diana’s coffin was taken to Althorp, the ancestral home of the Earls Spencer, where she was buried privately on an island in the center of a lake on the grounds.
Diana was born The Honourable (later Lady) Diana Frances Spencer, youngest daughter of John Spencer, Viscount Althorp (later 8th Earl Spencer) and his wife, formerly the Honourable Frances Burke Roche, at Park House, on the Queen’s Sandringham Estate. She married HRH The Prince of Wales on 29 July 1981 at St Paul’s Cathedral in London. The Prince and Princess of Wales have two sons – HRH Prince William and HRH Prince Henry (Harry). The couple divorced in 1996 and Diana’s style became Diana, Princess of Wales. While she lost her HRH status, she remained, officially, a member of the Royal Family.
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