Princess diana. On August 31, 1997, following a car accident under the Alma bridge in Paris, Princess diana and Dodi Al-Fayed were killed. Today, the Princess of Wales is still adored by the subjects of the crown.
These are funerals which are reminiscent of others which have just as marked the whole world. This Monday, September 19, 2022 promises to be historic with the last tribute to Queen Elizabeth II, under the eye of millions of people. The death of the queen was followed by many tributes, but also by some thoughts of Diana Spencer, Princess diana, Charles’ first wife, who died in 1997.
On September 9, 2022, the day after the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the new King Charles III gave a first speech in which he paid tribute to his mother, and discreetly saluted the memory of “Lady Di”, 25 years later his death. Thus, the king cited an extract from Shakespeare’s Hamlet at the end of his speech: “May flights of angels sing thee to thy rest” (“that swarms of angels rock you with their songs”) to the attention of his mother. During Diana’s funeral at Westminster Abbey, a choir sang Song for Athene , with a text by Mother Thekla in which these same words from Hamlet are repeated, recalls the Daily Mail .
During his tribute to his “sweet grandmother”, in a message posted on Instagram , Prince William also made reference to his mother Diana. He writes: “She was by my side in the happiest times of my life. And she was by my side in the saddest times”, speaking here of the death of the Princess of Wales, who died in a car accident when he was 15 years old.
“Princess diana”, whose real name is Diana Frances Spencer, is the first wife of Charles III, when he was still a prince. They were married on July 29, 1981, in a ceremony broadcast around the world. From the union of Charles III and Lady Di were born Princes William and Harry. Particularly appreciated by the people during her lifetime, the circumstances of Lady Di’s death contributed to her legend. Princess diana still has a place in the hearts of the British, but also in the hearts of many people around the world.
How did Princess diana die?
What happened on August 31, 1997? After a dinner at the Ritz in Paris, Princess diana and businessman Dodi Al-Fayed slipped away from the palace through a discreet entrance in a new car. The billionaire’s car and that of his bodyguards take the usual exit to serve as a lure for the paparazzi who have been following the couple since their arrival in Paris. But some photographers are not fooled and spot the new vehicle. On board are the Princess of Wales, Dodi Al-Fayed, her bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones and driver Henri Paul. To escape his pursuers, the car drove at more than 100 km/h on a lane on the banks of the Seine limited to 50 km/h. In the Pont de l’Alma tunnel, it hit the right wall, swerved and ended its course against a pillar. Dodi Al-Fayed and the driver were killed instantly. Trevor Rees-Jones is very seriously injured. As for Princess diana, she is rushed to the hospital, but her heart stops several times in the ambulance. Suffering from significant internal bleeding, she was declared dead 4 hours after the accident at the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital. The various investigations highlight the fact that the driver was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident and that the occupants of the car had not fastened their seat belts. On the other hand, the paparazzi who pursued the vehicle benefited from a dismissal of the case.
How did she experience her marriage to Prince Charles?
Coming from an aristocratic family, Diana Frances Spencer was an ideal choice for Prince Charles. His candor and reserve suit the royal family. The marriage is therefore quickly arranged even though the two young people barely know each other. But already at this time, Diana knew of the existence of Camilla Parker Bowles. The wedding was celebrated on July 29, 1981 and broadcast around the world. The following year, the couple welcomed their first child, William. Prince Harry was born two years later. During this period, the princess is unhappy. She suffers from depression and bulimia. She even made several suicide attempts. The couple becomes increasingly frustrated and both take refuge in the arms of another person. The names of Princess diana‘s lovers are not all known, but it is possible to cite: James Gilbey or James Hewitt (her riding coach). The two spouses separated in 1992, but the divorce was not finalized until August 28, 1996. The princess consoled herself in the arms of Hasnat Khan, a British surgeon of Pakistani origin. The media coverage of their romance caused the end of their relationship in June 1997. Diana then turned to Dodi Al-Fayed and began a more or less fictitious relationship with him which caused a lot of noise.
The rivalry between Diana and Camilla
With Charles III’s accession to the throne, Camilla became queen consort. A choice made by Elizabeth II, in a press release published on the occasion of her 70 years of reign. This title was uncertain since she is the second wife of Charles III, after Diana. Mistress of the Prince of Wales, Camilla is the origin of the separation, then the divorce of Charles III and Lady Di.
As early as the 1980s, Princess Diana had doubts about her husband’s fidelity. According to biographer Tina Brown, in her book The Diana Chronicles , in February 1989, Camilla’s sister, Annabel Elliot, threw a party for her 40th birthday. Everyone was invited, except Princess diana, who invited herself anyway. She then spoke with Camilla, a discussion during which the tone rose between the two women. Diana had clearly spoken her truth to her rival: “I know what’s going on between you and Charles and I want you to know it.” And Camilla replied: “You got everything you wanted. All the men are in love with you and you gave birth to two beautiful boys, what more do you want?” The Princess of Wales then retorted: “I want my husband. Sorry for being a nuisance, I know you must be going through hell because of me. But I know what’s going on between you two. Stop take me for an idiot.”
Short biography of Princess diana
Born on July 1, 1961 in Sandringham into a family of traditional British nobility, Diana Spencer became Princess of Wales in 1981, after her arranged marriage to the heir to the English throne, Prince Charles. Having difficulty supporting the constraints of court life and the sadness of a loveless marriage, the Princess of Wales quickly slipped into depression and attempted suicide shortly after the birth of her first son in 1982. The ruin of the princely marriage , materialized by numerous adulteries committed by both parties, was initially hushed up by the British press, but eventually came to light in the early 1990s. The Prince and Princess of Wales eventually separated in 1992 and then officially divorced in 1996.
Despite the breakdown of her marriage and until her death in 1997, Princess diana showed remarkable commitment to numerous humanitarian causes. Thus, she put her notoriety at the service of the fight against HIV in 1987 and ardently committed herself against the use of antipersonnel mines during an extremely publicized trip to Angola in 1997. It was in part her action which promoted the signing of the Ottawa Treaty on December 3, 1997, banning the use of antipersonnel mines.
Princess diana: key dates
July 29, 1981: Wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana
In the presence of 2,500 guests gathered at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London, the heir to the throne of Great Britain, Prince Charles, 32, marries Lady Diana Spencer, 19. The event is televised around the world, and an estimated 600 million viewers watched the ceremony. They had two sons and divorced in 1996.
August 31, 1997: Death of Lady Di
Diana, the ex-wife of the Prince of Wales, died at the Pitié-Salpêtrière hospital in Paris, after being the victim of a car accident in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel. His companion Dodi al-Fayed, a rich Egyptian, was killed instantly, as was the driver, Henri Paul, who was driving fast to avoid paparazzi. Only Diana’s bodyguard Trevor Rees Jones will survive. two million people will follow his funeral.
September 6, 1997: Funeral of Princess Diana
Two million people take to the streets of London to pay their last respects to Princess Diana. During the ceremony, Elton John performs “Candle in the Wind”. That afternoon, Diana was buried at the Spencer family estate in Althorp, north London.
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