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In The Headlines: Princess Diana and boyfriend Dodi Fayed were unlawfully killed by the reckless actions of their chauffeur Henri Paul and paparazzi photographers pursuing her car, a London jury ruled Monday (April 7, 2008).
The jury returned joint verdicts of unlawful killing through grossly negligent driving — or gross negligence manslaughter — after four days of deliberations. It was the most serious verdict available to them.
Princess Diana and boyfriend Dodi Fayed died in 1997 when their speeding car slammed into a concrete pillar in Paris while it was being chased by photographers in cars and on motorbikes. The jury also ruled that the couple’s failure to wear seatbelts was a contributing factor.
The six women and five men on the jury began deliberating April 2 after hearing six months of testimony from more than 240 witnesses. They also went to Paris to see the scene of the Aug. 31, 1997 crash.
The coroner, Lord Justice Scott Baker, prevented the jury from considering the possibility that the couple were victims of a murder plot, saying there was no evidence. Fayed’s father, Mohamed Al Fayed, had claimed that Prince Philip (the husband of Queen Elizabeth II and father of Diana’s ex-husband Prince Charles) directed British secret agents to carry out the plot, in part because Diana was carrying Dodi Fayed's child.
The day after jurors were sworn in on Oct. 2, 2007, Baker informed the jury that no pregnancy tests were conducted on Diana's body and that there were no visible clues she was pregnant. But he added that at an early stage, there might be no outward signs.
It was also determined that Princess Diana was taking a contraceptive pill during the time before her death.
Letters from Diana to Fayed were read Dec. 14 at the inquest. In one, Diana thanked Fayed for a holiday on his yacht in the summer of 1997, expressing "a million heartfelt thanks for bringing such joy into this chick's life." A second letter was sent with a gift of cufflinks.
The jury returned joint verdicts of unlawful killing through grossly negligent driving — or gross negligence manslaughter — after four days of deliberations. It was the most serious verdict available to them.
Princess Diana and boyfriend Dodi Fayed died in 1997 when their speeding car slammed into a concrete pillar in Paris while it was being chased by photographers in cars and on motorbikes. The jury also ruled that the couple’s failure to wear seatbelts was a contributing factor.
The six women and five men on the jury began deliberating April 2 after hearing six months of testimony from more than 240 witnesses. They also went to Paris to see the scene of the Aug. 31, 1997 crash.
The coroner, Lord Justice Scott Baker, prevented the jury from considering the possibility that the couple were victims of a murder plot, saying there was no evidence. Fayed’s father, Mohamed Al Fayed, had claimed that Prince Philip (the husband of Queen Elizabeth II and father of Diana’s ex-husband Prince Charles) directed British secret agents to carry out the plot, in part because Diana was carrying Dodi Fayed's child.
The day after jurors were sworn in on Oct. 2, 2007, Baker informed the jury that no pregnancy tests were conducted on Diana's body and that there were no visible clues she was pregnant. But he added that at an early stage, there might be no outward signs.
It was also determined that Princess Diana was taking a contraceptive pill during the time before her death.
Letters from Diana to Fayed were read Dec. 14 at the inquest. In one, Diana thanked Fayed for a holiday on his yacht in the summer of 1997, expressing "a million heartfelt thanks for bringing such joy into this chick's life." A second letter was sent with a gift of cufflinks.
"Darling Dodi," she wrote, "these cufflinks were the very last gift from the man I loved most in the world, my father."
"They are given to you as I know how much joy it would give him to know they were in such safe and special hands. Fondest love, Diana."
But Princess Diana's butler and confidant for a decade described Diana's romance with Fayed as a "30-day relationship." Paul Burrell testified Jan. 14, 2008, that she gave no sign that she planned to marry Fayed before the couple’s death. He said he believed Diana would have made more arrangements if a wedding announcement had been planned.
"I think she would have cleared the decks and made space, certainly in the week preceding the announcement," he told the inquest.
Burrell said the princess was on the rebound from a secret two-year relationship with heart surgeon Hasnat Khan.
"I want another marriage like I want a bad rash," Burrell has quoted Diana as saying in a telephone conversation when she was with Fayed in France.
Burrell also testified that Diana's relationships with Khan and Fayed, two Muslim men, provoked an outburst from her mother, who called her daughter "a whore."
Burrell told the inquest that Diana asked him to listen in on a conversation in June 1997 with her mother, Frances Shand Kydd (died 2004), who was critical of her relationships with Muslim men.
"She called the princess a 'whore' and she said that she was messing around with 'effing Muslim men' and she was 'disgraceful' and said some very nasty things," Burrell said. He agreed that, as a result of such calls Diana decided not to talk to her mother again.
The inquest also heard extensive testimony about the crash itself. One of the first witnesses to reach the scene told the inquest on Oct. 25 that Diana repeated the words "oh my god, oh my god" as she lay in the smoking wreckage. Damian Dalby‘s testimony contradicted earlier suggestions that she was never conscious enough to speak after the crash.
"They are given to you as I know how much joy it would give him to know they were in such safe and special hands. Fondest love, Diana."
But Princess Diana's butler and confidant for a decade described Diana's romance with Fayed as a "30-day relationship." Paul Burrell testified Jan. 14, 2008, that she gave no sign that she planned to marry Fayed before the couple’s death. He said he believed Diana would have made more arrangements if a wedding announcement had been planned.
"I think she would have cleared the decks and made space, certainly in the week preceding the announcement," he told the inquest.
Burrell said the princess was on the rebound from a secret two-year relationship with heart surgeon Hasnat Khan.
"I want another marriage like I want a bad rash," Burrell has quoted Diana as saying in a telephone conversation when she was with Fayed in France.
Burrell also testified that Diana's relationships with Khan and Fayed, two Muslim men, provoked an outburst from her mother, who called her daughter "a whore."
Burrell told the inquest that Diana asked him to listen in on a conversation in June 1997 with her mother, Frances Shand Kydd (died 2004), who was critical of her relationships with Muslim men.
"She called the princess a 'whore' and she said that she was messing around with 'effing Muslim men' and she was 'disgraceful' and said some very nasty things," Burrell said. He agreed that, as a result of such calls Diana decided not to talk to her mother again.
The inquest also heard extensive testimony about the crash itself. One of the first witnesses to reach the scene told the inquest on Oct. 25 that Diana repeated the words "oh my god, oh my god" as she lay in the smoking wreckage. Damian Dalby‘s testimony contradicted earlier suggestions that she was never conscious enough to speak after the crash.
Dalby, who was a volunteer French firefighter at the time, said the car was surrounded by photographers, but they did not interfere with rescue efforts. Dalby said police soon arrived and moved the photographers away. At one point, it was revealed that Diana was so agitated in the moments following her fatal 1997 car crash that she tore out an intravenous drip the medics had inserted into her arm, according to a French doctor.
Andre Lienhart, who studied the princess' treatment for a French investigating magistrate, testified Nov. 20 that medics had to restrain and sedate Diana, who was thrashing and shouting incoherently, before they could get her out of the mangled vehicle. He said a medical assistant reportedly had to hold Diana's arm by force to insert an IV drip, but the princess quickly pulled it out.
The court also heard that the force of the impact caused a key blood vessel attached to Diana's heart to tear. It also damaged the pericardium, the organ's casing. As a result the princess, who was not wearing a seatbelt, suffered massive internal bleeding when the car crashed in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris while being pursued by paparazzi. Diana survived for three and a half hours after the crash but was finally declared dead at Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital following cardiac arrest and nearly two hours of open heart massage.
The inquest had been delayed for 10 years because of two exhaustive investigations by French and British police. Both concluded that the couple's driver, Henri Paul, was drunk, driving too fast and that the deaths were an accident.
Biography: Born Diana Spencer on July 1, 1961 , near Sandringham, England, Diana, Princess of Wales, was one of the most adored members of the British royal family. She was the daughter of Edward John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, and Frances Ruth Burke Roche, Viscountess Althorp (later known as the Honorable Frances Shand Kydd). Her parents divorced when Diana was young, and her father won custody of her and her siblings. She was educated first at Riddlesworth Hall and then went to boarding school at West Heath School.
She became Lady Diana Spencer after her father inherited the title of Earl Spencer in 1975. Although she was known for her shyness growing up, she did show an interest in music and dancing. Diana also had a great fondness for children. After attending finishing school at the Institut Alpin Videmanette in Switzerland, she moved to London. She began working with children, eventually becoming a kindergarten teacher at the Young England School.
Andre Lienhart, who studied the princess' treatment for a French investigating magistrate, testified Nov. 20 that medics had to restrain and sedate Diana, who was thrashing and shouting incoherently, before they could get her out of the mangled vehicle. He said a medical assistant reportedly had to hold Diana's arm by force to insert an IV drip, but the princess quickly pulled it out.
The court also heard that the force of the impact caused a key blood vessel attached to Diana's heart to tear. It also damaged the pericardium, the organ's casing. As a result the princess, who was not wearing a seatbelt, suffered massive internal bleeding when the car crashed in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris while being pursued by paparazzi. Diana survived for three and a half hours after the crash but was finally declared dead at Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital following cardiac arrest and nearly two hours of open heart massage.
The inquest had been delayed for 10 years because of two exhaustive investigations by French and British police. Both concluded that the couple's driver, Henri Paul, was drunk, driving too fast and that the deaths were an accident.
Biography: Born Diana Spencer on July 1, 1961 , near Sandringham, England, Diana, Princess of Wales, was one of the most adored members of the British royal family. She was the daughter of Edward John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, and Frances Ruth Burke Roche, Viscountess Althorp (later known as the Honorable Frances Shand Kydd). Her parents divorced when Diana was young, and her father won custody of her and her siblings. She was educated first at Riddlesworth Hall and then went to boarding school at West Heath School.
She became Lady Diana Spencer after her father inherited the title of Earl Spencer in 1975. Although she was known for her shyness growing up, she did show an interest in music and dancing. Diana also had a great fondness for children. After attending finishing school at the Institut Alpin Videmanette in Switzerland, she moved to London. She began working with children, eventually becoming a kindergarten teacher at the Young England School.
Diana was no stranger to the British royal family, having reportedly played with Prince Andrew and Prince Edward as a child while her family rented Park House, an estate owned by Queen Elizabeth II. In 1977, she became reacquainted with their older brother, Prince Charles, who was 13 years her senior. As the heir to the British throne, Prince Charles was usually the subject of media attention and his courtship of Diana was no exception. The press and the public were fascinated by this seemingly odd couple—the reserved, horse and garden-loving prince and the shy, young woman with an interest in fashion and popular culture. When the couple married on July 29, 1981 , the ceremony was broadcast on television around the world, with millions of people tuning in to see what many considered to be the wedding of the century.
On June 21, 1982 , Diana and Charles had their first child, Prince William Arthur Philip Louis. He was joined by a brother, Prince Henry Charles Albert David—known widely as "Prince Harry"—more than two years later on September 15, 1984 . Initially overwhelmed by her royal duties and the intense media coverage of nearly every aspect of her life, she began to develop and pursue her own interests. Diana served a strong supporter of many charities and worked to help the homeless, people living with HIV and AIDS, and children in need.
Unfortunately, the fairy tale wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles did not lead to a happily-ever-after type of marriage. The two became estranged over the years, and there were reports of infidelities by both parties. During their union, Diana struggled with depression and bulimia. The couple’s separation was announced in December 1992 by British Prime Minister John Major, who read a statement from the royal family to the House of Commons. The divorce was finalized in 1996.
Even after the divorce, Diana maintained a high level of popularity. She devoted herself to her sons and to such charitable efforts as the battle against the use of land mines. Diana used her international celebrity to help raise awareness about this issue. She also continued to experience the negative aspects of fame—her 1997 romance with Egyptian film producer and playboy Dodi Al-Fayed caused quite a stir and created a media frenzy. While visiting Paris, the couple was involved in a car crash after trying to escape from the paparazzi on the night of August 30, 1997 .
Diana initially survived the crash, but later succumbed to her injuries at a Paris hospital a few hours later. Al-Fayed and the driver were also killed, and a bodyguard was seriously injured. French authorities investigated the crash and the driver was found to have a high level of alcohol in his system at the time of the accident. The role of the pursuing photographers in the tragedy was also scrutinized.
On June 21, 1982 , Diana and Charles had their first child, Prince William Arthur Philip Louis. He was joined by a brother, Prince Henry Charles Albert David—known widely as "Prince Harry"—more than two years later on September 15, 1984 . Initially overwhelmed by her royal duties and the intense media coverage of nearly every aspect of her life, she began to develop and pursue her own interests. Diana served a strong supporter of many charities and worked to help the homeless, people living with HIV and AIDS, and children in need.
Unfortunately, the fairy tale wedding of Princess Diana and Prince Charles did not lead to a happily-ever-after type of marriage. The two became estranged over the years, and there were reports of infidelities by both parties. During their union, Diana struggled with depression and bulimia. The couple’s separation was announced in December 1992 by British Prime Minister John Major, who read a statement from the royal family to the House of Commons. The divorce was finalized in 1996.
Even after the divorce, Diana maintained a high level of popularity. She devoted herself to her sons and to such charitable efforts as the battle against the use of land mines. Diana used her international celebrity to help raise awareness about this issue. She also continued to experience the negative aspects of fame—her 1997 romance with Egyptian film producer and playboy Dodi Al-Fayed caused quite a stir and created a media frenzy. While visiting Paris, the couple was involved in a car crash after trying to escape from the paparazzi on the night of August 30, 1997 .
Diana initially survived the crash, but later succumbed to her injuries at a Paris hospital a few hours later. Al-Fayed and the driver were also killed, and a bodyguard was seriously injured. French authorities investigated the crash and the driver was found to have a high level of alcohol in his system at the time of the accident. The role of the pursuing photographers in the tragedy was also scrutinized.
News of her sudden, senseless death shocked the world. Thousands turned out to pay tribute to the "people’s princess" during her funeral procession. The funeral was held at Westminister Abbey, which was broadcast on television. Her body was later buried at her family’s estate, Althorp.
In 2007, marking the tenth anniversary of her death, her sons, Princes William and Harry, honored their beloved mother with a special concert to be held on what would have been her forty-sixth birthday. The proceeds of the event will go to charities supported by Diana and her sons.
Continuing her charitable efforts is the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. Established after her death, the fund provides grants to numerous organizations and supports initiatives to provide care to the sick in Africa , to help refugees, and to stop the use of land mines among other efforts.
In 2007, marking the tenth anniversary of her death, her sons, Princes William and Harry, honored their beloved mother with a special concert to be held on what would have been her forty-sixth birthday. The proceeds of the event will go to charities supported by Diana and her sons.
Continuing her charitable efforts is the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. Established after her death, the fund provides grants to numerous organizations and supports initiatives to provide care to the sick in Africa , to help refugees, and to stop the use of land mines among other efforts.
Source :- http://www.biography.com/
