The pics taken by the paparazzi that were chasing her Mercedes. Published for the first time: The most remarkable pictures of the Diana crash By RICHARD KAY - More by this author ยป Last updated at 23:58pm on 2nd October 2007 Comments Comments An astonishing sequence of pictures of the final minutes of Princess Diana's life have emerged as the long-awaited inquest into her death finally opened today. The never-before-seen images, posted on an official website by coroner Lord Justice Scott Baker, includes the last known photograph of Diana alive and graphic scenes of the desperate fight to save her life. More than ten years after her death in a high speed crash in Paris they bring back with startling clarity the fantastic efforts to keep Diana alive. One of the last pictures ever taken of Diana shows her blonde hair in the back on the Mercedes as bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones holds his hand up and chauffeur Henri Paul stares into the camera The vivid aftermath of the crash contrasts with what must be the most extraordinary final snapshots of Diana's last moments. Taken by one of the paparazzi, the princess is visible in the rear seat peering back at the pursuing French photographers. To her side Dodi Fayed is hunched forward in his seat. It is just seconds after the couple have left the back entrance of the Ritz Hotel on the fatal journey to Dodi's Paris apartment and provides the last known picture of Diana alive. But it is the occupants of the front seat that catch the eye. Trevor Rees-Jones, Dodi's bodygaurd and the only survivor of the terrible accident, holds a protective hand up as he peers into the lens. Beside him the driver Henri Paul - accused by police of being drunk - stares twistedly, almost mockingly, at the camera. The Mercedes, its roof cut off as rescuers tried to reach the passengers, is just a twisted heap of metal This image shows the sheer destructive power of the crash: a car barely recognisable, the shattered windscreen, deflated airbags and broken engine The full extent of the catastrophic crash is clear from this angle. Firemen have cut open the roof to free the Princess and Rees-Jones and remove the bodies of Henri Paul and Dodi Fayed In one picture Dr Frederic Maillez, the first doctor on the scene, can be clearly seen inside the back of the smashed Mercedes tending to the critically ill princess. The photos also show the shuddering impact of the black limousine after it collided with pillar 13 - and how the car virtually disintegrated, such was the force of the collision. A scene of desolation and horror is captured in the seconds after the crash. Passers-by, who included the off-duty Dr Maillez, are seen with policemen, firemen, and the paparazzi. Sources close to Mohamed Al Fayed, who claims his son and Diana were murdered in an Establishment plot, said the existence of the last picture of the couple surrounded in the front and the rear by photographers proved they were pursued to their death by the paparazzi. They denied official claims that the picture had been taken seconds after the princess and her lover had left the Ritz Hotel and insisted it was snapped well into their journey. According to the website, it will be updated daily throughout the inquest with exhibits - including photographs - that are shown to the jury. It will also contain transcripts, official statements, and details of procedural decisions. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/li...70&ico=Homepage&icl=TabModule&icc=picbox&ct=5
The moment of impact. After smashing into pillar 13 in the tunnel, the car cannons into the side wall. The lights of cars travelling in the opposite direction are visible. Witnesses say the Mercedes was doing between 60mph and 93mph First on the scene is agency photographer Serge Arnal. The force of the crash is clear: The nearside of the Mercedes in which Dodi and Henri Paul had died instantly is crushed. The impact has disordered the exhaust system By now rescue workers are gathering. It is some time after 12.30am. Inside the stricken Mercedes, the physician Dr Maillez is bent over the Princess's body. He has already ascertained that Dodi and Paul are dead More paparazzi have arrived. Hands in pockets to the side of the tunnel stand Serge Arnal and Fabrice Chassery, and in the foreground Serge Benamou. A shirt-sleeved fireman reaches into the wreckage of the Mercedes The crashed car from the front. Inside the rear door Sebastian Dorzee, one of the two police officers who were first on the scene, leans over Diana. At the front in the white shirt is Dorzee's partner, Lino Gagliardon MORE PICS CLICK ON THE LINK
What's wrong with the paparazzi? I would rather place more blame on the people who actually buy those magazines to see those celebrity pictures more than anyone. The paparazzi are just making a living. Celebrity and royals know its part of the job, when they agree to be part of it. I never understood, why the driver had to drive 100mph through a tunnel, just to avoid having his client's picture taken. It was taken thousands of times before. It just seemed very irrational thing to do and was probably goaded on to drive faster by Princess Di.
Celebrities maybe, but royals who are born such, married into it for love, or acquaintances of them don't 'agree to be part of it'. And there's good and bad ways to perform many jobs. A dentists could drill w/o painkillers, road crews can close lanes during rush hour, police could start shooting at speeders... and paparazzi can chase people to death.
That's... indescribable. To have the last living pictures of an icon, and to know that because you were taking those very pictures, she was trying to get away, and crashed and died. Which you also have pictures of. I realize that the paparazzi are just doing their job, trying to make a buck, trying to take pictures and break a big story. But there's something fundamentally wrong with them if they can't realize the situation they are creating. Why the hell couldn't they recognize that a high speed chase through a tunnel is not just dangerous to their target, but to themselves, and the rest of the people on the road, and back the **** off? At what point do they just give up?
Why does princess di get so much love? She didn't do anything special. She a normal person who married a prince. 117 people die every day in the US cause of accident and its not like anyone cares about them.
I remember Mother Teresa died around the same time and got virtually no coverage Mother Tereasa was one of the best human beings of all time. Rocket River
I remember that, the news at the time was 29.5 minutes about Diana and a 30 second blurb about Mother Teresa. That pretty much sums up what's important in our society.
Maybe i was too young, but I don't remember Mother Teresa's death being just a 30 second blurb in the news. As for why Princess Di get's so much love, first of all, she wasn't just a normal person, she came from nobility, but that's beside the point. She used her position to help people. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana,_Princess_of_Wales#Charity_work
There actually are pictures of Princess Di's mangled body after the crash floating around on the internet. Its much more graphic than anything seen here. These more gruesome pictures were made available I think two years or so after the accident. Actually just go to Google and type in "Princess Diana Crash Pictures." It seems kind of strange for the papers to say these photos are new, b/c I've seen some variation of these same pictures a long time ago.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/12/12/earlyshow/main1116179.shtml Britain's Sunday Times reports that that the prince was specifically questioned about a note allegedly written by Diana. An excerpt leaked to the British media by her former butler said, "My husband is planning an accident in my car, brake failure and serious head injury, to make the path clear for him to marry." http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/europe/10/20/diana.letter/index.html The Princess of Wales wrote to her former butler Paul Burrell saying her life was at its "most dangerous" phase, the Daily Mirror reported Monday. It quotes the letter as saying: "XXXX is planning 'an accident' in my car, brake failure and serious head injury in order to make the path clear for Charles to marry."
wow! that driver looked creepy! i wonder what he was thinking... Princess Diana always used her fame to help people and that is why people loved her.
Ummm... is Madame Diana's head UP on one shot and DOWN on the other... you know... ummm... you know? WOW. An appearance by meggoleggo. Nice.
