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.

Sydney Morning Herald

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 may have taken ten years for the inquiry into Princess Diana’s death to even start, probably because there wasn’t really a need for one. She was once a royal, but she did her duty – produced heirs for the throne. She was basically famous for being famous, and supporting worthy causes. One of the major controversies surrounding her death may have been solved. It turns out she wasn’t pregnant, according to evidence given at the British inquiry into the car crash by pathologist Robert Chapman.

“An established pregnancy will show one a change in the size of the uterus, a change in the thickness of the lining and presence of a gestation sac — an embryo with membranes — attached to the wall of the uterus, and there will be changes also in the appearance of the ovaries.”

“Were any of these indications present here?” counsel to the inquest Nicholas Hilliard asked.

“No,” Chapman said.

[Sydney Morning Herald]

Apparently it is standard practice to examine a woman of childbearing age’s womb and ovaries.

But the pathologist doesn’t rule out that she could have been less than 14 days pregnant. Of course, it is unlikely that Diana herself would have known she was pregnant in those early stages either.

“Certainly from day one to seven there could not or would not be anything to see,” he said.

“From day seven to 14 you might see something. Thereafter there is an increasing likelihood of being able to see things which would indicate pregnancy.”

Dodi’s own father Mohammed Al Fayed believed that the princess was pregnant and that Dodi and Diana were killed in a plot orchestrated by Prince Phillip and the British intelligence service M16. Two such conspiracy theorists were in the court, but were removed after causing a disruption.

The other big conspiracy was that Dodi and Diana were engaged to be married, and that she was going to reveal this outside the Ritz Hotel in Paris, which is why the photographers were there to chase her into that fateful tunnel. Or possibly she was going to announce the pregnancy. Which hardly seems likely – surely Diana would have given the exclusive to Hello magazine. Or done another Panorama interview.

Note by Celebitchy: I do think there’s more to this story than a simple car crash. Princess Diana wrote a letter 10 months before her death saying that factions were planning a car accident for her to clear the way for Charles to remarry. She may not have been pregnant, but it’s pretty suspicious that she died in the way she predicted.

So when you have a poll of the most memorable television moments of the last 50 years, what would you include? The final episode of Friends? When Fonzie jumped the shark on Happy Days?

Turns out the British think a little more broadly than me.

Top Ten Television moments of the last 50 years
1. Twin Towers Collapse
2. Princess Diana’s Funeral
3. Neil Armstrong’s Lunar Landing 1969
4. Collapse of the Berlin Wall
5. Bob Geldof requesting viewers to ‘Give us your f**king money’ at LiveAid
6. The Two Ronnies ‘Four Candles’ comedy sketch
7. Dancing Ricky Gervais as The Office manager David Brent
8. Monty Python’s ‘Dead Parrot’ Sketch
9. England Winning the soccer World Cup 1966
10. The assassination of President John F. Kennedy

Watch the videos below, thanks to News.com.au for linking them.

I’m glad that the terrorism and deaths are balanced out by Monty Python’s comedy and Bob Geldof swearing. Some obvious contenders for most memorable moment that are missing would be Princess Diana’s marriage to Prince Charles, or maybe the year 2000 being celebrated. Although who was at home watching TV on that night?

1. Twin Towers Collapse

2. Princess Diana’s Funeral

3. Neil Armstrong’s Lunar Landing 1969

4. Collapse of the Berlin Wall

5. Bob Geldof requesting viewers to ‘Give us your f**king money’ at LiveAid

6. The Two Ronnies ‘Four Candles’ comedy sketch

7. Dancing Ricky Gervais as The Office manager David Brent

8. Monty Python’s ‘Dead Parrot’ Sketch

9. England Winning the soccer World Cup 1966

10. The assassination of President John F. Kennedy

The poll of most memorable TV moments was conducted by Whitehaven in Cumbria, UK, which will be the first place in the UK to switch off the analogue signal to switch to digital television.

Prince Harry’s girlfriend (or is she his fiancé?) has topped pizza maker Goodfellas list of sexiest summer celebrities.

She was followed by Hollywood beauties Jessica Alba, Scarlett Johansson and Cameron Diaz.

Sienna Miller was fourth, just ahead of chart star Rihanna and Girls Aloud’s Cheryl Cole. Kate Middleton, girlfriend of Prince William, was in seventh place.

Paris Hilton and Big Brother’s Chanelle completed the top 10.

The boys of Britain weren’t left out of the competition.

The X Factor presenter Dermot O’Leary was a surprise choice at number one. He was followed by T4 hunk Steve Jones. Johnny Depp, Justin Timberlake and Orlando Bloom came next.

Prince Harry appeared in the list at number six - three places ahead of brother William.

The top 10 also included Jude Law, David Beckham and Liam from Big Brother.

thisisnottingham.co.uk

Rumours are hitting the tabloids again that Harry and Chelsy are engaged, but she isn’t going to be attending the Princess Diana Memorial service. Neither is Kate Middleton, or Camilla.

In a statement, Camilla said she had been “touched” to be invited to the event by Charles and Diana’s sons, Princes William and Harry, but had decided to stay away.

“I accepted and wanted to support them,” she said. “However, on reflection, I believe my attendance could divert attention from the purpose of the occasion which is to focus on the life and service of Diana.”

New Zealand Herald

I can only imagine that Diana, who hated Camilla her entire marriage, who blamed her for it’s ultimate break-up, would hate that smirking woman (why does she smirk all the time? Is it requirement of royalty when appearing in public to smile?) sitting next to her ex-husband in the front row of her memorial service. I must add a clause to my will instructing my husband that I don’t want his new wife anywhere near my grave, my funeral or my memorial. Except unlike Diana, if I knew my husband was cheating, I wouldn’t be the first to die…tee hee.

Picture note by celebitchy: Chelsy Davy is shown on a girl’s night out on 7/11/07, thanks to Splash News. Camilla Parker Bowles is shown at the Brit Awards on 5/3/07. Thanks to PRPhotos.

How much is a dress worth? It seems one worn (twice!) by Princess Diana can’t secure a bid on eBay.

The silk chiffon evening gown was among 79 dresses that Diana auctioned off for charity at Christie’s in New York in June 1997, two months before she died in a car crash in Paris.

The dress, a strapless bodice made of draped and tucked silk designed by Catherine Walker, is one of four of Diana’s dresses owned by the WE television network and was put up for grabs on eBay 10 days ago.

However, the gown, which was also worn by Diana to the 1989 London opening of Miss Saigon, did not appear to have attracted any bids after opening offers were invited at $US125,000 ($A154,790).

Sydney Morning Herald

Diana also wore the dress to the 1997 Cannes Film Festival. The proceeds from the eBay auction were to go to America’s Promise Alliance, a charity that helps disadvantaged children stay in school.

While bidding for charity isn’t like shopping for a vintage bargain, this dress did seem to be overpriced. In 1997 the winner of the first charity auction won it for $US71,000, and it was later valued at $US275,000.

“If we were to put the dresses up for auction, our auction estimate would be $US20,000 ($A24,766) to $US40,000 ($A49,532) dollars for each of the dresses,” a representative from Christie’s auction house told the Washington Post.

Another Diana dress by the same designer sold at a London Auction for $US121,000. The gown Diana wore when dancing with John Travolta sold for $US222,500.

So, how much is too much to pay for a dress? While the owner of the dress having died very publicly in a horrible car crash would deter me from buying, others obviously don’t feel the same way. The eBay auction (now closed) received over 300,000 hits. Maybe a viewing fee should have been charged?

In the days before the tenth anniversary of Diana’s death, a journalist is claiming she was pregnant when she dies. Yawn, we’ve heard that before. To spice it up he adds that Dodi Al Fayed wasn’t the father.

Hopefully we can get past the ten year anniversary and get back to gossiping about Royals who are alive. Prince William, anyone?

Picture note by Celebitchy: Header image from eBay auction for Diana’s gown. Image below via the Sydney Morning Herald.