Looking Back At Princess Diana's Last Day

Oct 04, 2019 by apost team

The last day in the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, was one filled with excitement and frustration, frustration that would play a significant role in the ending of her life and the life of her relationship partner, Dodi Al Fayed, in the early hours of Aug. 31, 1997.

The happy couple, who had just started dating a few weeks earlier, got their day off with a relaxed breakfast on Italy's Emerald Coast, which is located on the island of Sardinia. At this time, they were seen enjoying each other's company, holding hands and laughing.

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Later that day, Diana told Richard Kay, a friend, that she was going to completely withdraw from public life within the next 12 months, presumably to focus on her private life with Fayed, who had planned to propose to her that coming evening, a proposal that would never happen. In fact, the only thing on Fayed's calendar that day was picking up the ring that he was planning to give to her a few hours later, reports The Washington Post.

As soon as the couple arrived in Paris that afternoon, they were quickly spotted by paparazzi, which would continue throughout the day and evening as they seemed to follow the couple's every move. This especially frustrated Fayed as he didn't want them to negatively affect this otherwise happy moment.

The number of paparazzi only increased throughout the evening, especially as the two went out for dinner. They were not only outside his apartment then but were also at the two places where they attempted to eat in peace. Fayed's frustrations continued as he tried to figure out a plan to get the couple back to his apartment, which is where he was going to propose to her.

It sounded like an ingenious plan, but it was one that would lead to their deaths. They slipped out the back door of the Ritz and entered a car that was driven by Henri Paul, a hotel security officer who, hopefully unbeknownst to them, was drunk. However, the paparazzi quickly learned of the plan and chased the couple through the Parisian streets. At 12:23 a.m., the car struck a wall before colliding into a pillar. Fayed died instantly. The princess was initially alert but later went into cardiac arrest and died at 4 a.m according to USA Today.

For a complete look at the late Princess' last day on earth, watch the documentary in the video below:

How did you hear of the princess' death? How did it affect you? If you were not alive yet, how old were you when you learned about the tragic end to her life?