Even after the divorce Diana continued to be hounded by the media, her private life always being made public. She was photographed wherever she went, with whoever escorted her. Several books were published revealing startling events that led up to the breakdown of the unhappy royal marriage and Diana's relationship with the Royal family. Stories also emerged that the princess may have had secret love affairs prior to the divorce.

Early in 1997, after her divorce, reports showed that Diana was romantically involved with Dodi Al- Fayed,

a wealthy Egyptian national.

Photographs of the happy couple said to be very much in love were on the cover of tabloids and magazines across the globe. On August 30, it was reported that Diana and Dodi were returning from a vacation in Sardinia and decided to fly to Dodi's  private villa in  Paris, France before returning to London. After spending the day in Paris they went to the Ritz Hotel for evening dinner. To avoid photographers, the couple arranged to leave by the rear door with chauffeur Henri Paul and bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones. As an extra precaution

they used a different model Mercedes to their usual one. Henri Paul and Trevor Rees-Jones sat in the front seats with Diana and Dodi in the back. However, reports said freelance media photographers (paparazzi) were soon on their tail and were growing larger in number. In an attempt to lose them Henri Paul accelerated entering the tunnel under the Place de Alma at a speed reported to be 121 miles per hour. The car was said to have gone out of control and hit a concrete post. Dodi Fayed and Henri Paul were said to have died at the scene, bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones was in critical condition. Reports from a doctor who had witnessed the accident showed that Diana was still alive but was having breathing problems. It took almost an hour before the ambulance removed the victims from the wreck. Princess Diana was pronounced dead on August 31, 1997 at 3:57 am due to massive internal bleeding and heart failure.

Blame for the accident was placed on the hounding paparazzi and also on chauffeur Henri Paul who was said to have been drinking heavily and was also on drugs.

As with most tragic deaths in high society, there are always many unanswered questions which encourage numerous conspiracy theories. A white Fiat Uno was said to have been involved in the crash and although identity checks were carried out on 40,000 Fiat Uno owners, the car was never found. Another point made was why would the paparazzi risk their lives driving alongside a speeding car realizing that obtaining clear photographs of the occupants inside would be impossible at such speed. Conspiracy theorists have speculated Diana may have been pregnant with Dodi's child and that the Royal Palace had arranged for the M16 British secret service to kill

them. However former royal coroner Dr. John Burton was later quoted as saying that he attended the British post-mortem and can categorically say Diana was not pregnant.

Dodi's father, Mohammed al Fayed, owner of the exclusive London store Harrods, ordered a full and on-going investigation  into the death of his son and Diana, stating that the crash was part of a plot by the British Secret Service because the relationship was embarrassing Britain's royal household.  A letter from Diana to her butler Paul Burrell written 10 months before her death, was published in a British tabloid in which she claimed her husband, the Prince of Wales, was plotting to kill her in a crash. On January 6, 2004,  inquests into the deaths of Diana and Dodi were opened and adjourned. Royal coroner Michael Burgess asked former Metropolitan Police Commissioner John Stevens to head an inquiry into their deaths.The inquiry has so far cost more than $7.3 million.

Burgess told the BBC  "I am aware that there is speculation that these deaths were not the result of the sad but relatively straightforward road traffic accident in Paris."

Ten years on, the inquest still continues and new evidence has immerged.  Just recently photos of the  fatal car wreck were aired on British television.  Also being questioned in recent court hearings is a remark published in one of the books  allegedly made by  Queen Elizabeth during a conversation with Diana's former butler Paul Burrell following the car crash in 1997.  The remark was of the Queen's alleged claim of "powers that may be at work" over the death of Princess Diana was published in one of  Burrell's books.

As Trevor Rees-Jones, sole survivor of the accident says he cannot recall what happened, and just like the death of John F. Kennedy, we will probably never learn the true facts of exactly what happened the day of August 31, 1997.

But just as history recounts the long list of murders and assassinations attributed to the British Royal Dynasty and their courtiers even until recent times, it is not inconceivable that royal staff would use any means available to preserve the British royal lineage.
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