Princess Diana’s life and death has probably been the subject of more gossip than Britney Spears, Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan combined. Now, the verdict has finally been reached at the latest inquiry into the death of Princess Diana and Dodi Al-Fayed in the Alma Tunnel in France. It is consistent with the French inquiry into the accident and finds the paparazzi and chauffeur responsible:
Following three-and-a-half days of deliberation, the inquest jury has returned a majority verdict of unlawful killing through gross negligence with the shared blame resting between chauffeur Henri Paul and the paparazzi.
The jury had been told by the Coroner Lord Justice Scott Baker that such a verdict effectively implicated manslaughter.
The findings come ten-and-a-half years after Diana, Dodi and Henri Paul died after the Mercedes they were travelling in crashed into a pillar in the Alma Tunnel in Paris on August 31, 1997.
Contributing to their deaths, the jury found, were the fact that neither Diana nor Dodi were wearing a seatbelt, and the fact Mr Paul had been drink-driving.
They also singled out the paparazzi’s speed and manner of driving as factors.
There have been many conspiracy theories about the accident, mostly that the British intelligence agency M16 was involved or acting under the orders of the Royal Family.
The other theories disproved by the investigation are that Diana was pregnant (she wasn’t), and that she and Dodi were engaged (nope, that wasn’t true either). It doesn’t matter how deep the investigations probe, or how many inquiries are held, not everyone will believe the results.
Dodi Al-Fayed’s father, Harrods owner Mohammed Al-Fayed has previously been the main source of the alternate theories, and it has been suggested that he will appeal the verdict. He has two memorials in his London department store, one of which has a wine glass that Diana drank from, containing an ‘engagement’ ring Dodi had bought the day before their deaths.
The inquiry cost the British taxpayer £10 million, and took 93 days of a jury sitting to come to the verdict. They are now excused from further jury duty for life, if they desire.
The best that can come out of the inquiry is this: If you drink and drive, speed, and don’t wear a seatbelt, an accident is likely to occur. It doesn’t matter how important you are, it can happen to anyone.
Some details from Wikipedia.
It’s MI6, not M16
Enough. 10 years, countless millions and untold man hours to conclude what most rational people accepted within months of her death. I hope Al Fayed can now let this go. 10 years of public grieving is too high a price to pay for what was a tragic accident.
Love that pic!
Mohammed Al-Fayed is thinking of nothing more than his unending grief. I feel bad for the man but his inability to move on with his life is no excuse to dredge up the painful details of this woman’s life and death for her sons to rehash on a constant basis.
If you ask me, Diana and Dodi are the ones to blame as they made the decision to get into a car with a drunk driver. Daddy needs to accept that and move on.
How much money can the media make from the dead? It’s been more than ten years, endless theories, and what happened is what happened. She died. That’s it. I can only imagine what it would be like for her children constantly being in the spotlight. They can’t walk into a bookshop without seeing so many books about their mother (and her death).
Agreed – Al Fayed is denouncing the verdict of course. I know he has no time for logic, but in all seriousness, the best plot MI6 could come up with was a car crash where death could have been prevented by the simple deployment of a seatbelt? Feck off like!
I have much sympathy for the family left behind, but as for the three who died; to think one is above the laws of the land is contemptible, to think one is above the laws of physics is downright folly.
I didn’t believe the hype about St. Diana of Wales when she was pushing oxygen then and I don’t buy it now. I’m sure the 12 remaining OCD patients who are still following this 10 year old story are overwrought by the results.
seriously, sasha. WHAT are you talking about?
Its about time this was put to rest. Mohammed Al Fayed is in denial about his son’s death and he’s looking for a scapegoat instead of dealing with his grief and accepting the loss.
Update: In a TV interview last night, Al Fayed HAS agreed that enough is enough, he won’t be pursuing the matter any further and that ‘God will have his revenge’ (his words). RIP. Amen. Enough.
kaaj i luuv it
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