This Was the First Person to Be Notified of Princess Diana’s Car Accident

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When the world was notified of Princess Diana’s death in 1997, they were at a loss for words. The royal family was devastated and as rumors began to surface in the days following her death, all they could do was work to honor her short life in the way she deserved. These were Princess Diana’s last words before she died.

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At the time of her death, Princess Diana was visiting Paris with her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed. To avoid being bombarded by the paparazzi, not many people had been notified of their whereabouts. Early in the morning on August 31, 1997, the pair got into their car, driven by Henri Paul, to return to Fayed’s apartment. In an attempt to outrun the paparazzi, the car collided with a concrete pillar in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel. Fayed and Paul died on the scene, but Diana was quickly rushed to the hospital. Read up on these conspiracy theories that still surround Princess Diana’s death.

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Around 1:45 a.m., Britain’s ambassador to France, Michael Jay, was alerted of the accident. He was the first to be told that Princess Diana’s life was in danger. He wasn’t aware that she was visiting Paris, but after being woken up in the middle of the night, he and his wife rushed to Diana’s hospital room. Right after Jay was notified of the accident, he told the queen’s private secretary, Robin Janvrin, what had happened.

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At around 4 a.m., the princess was pronounced dead. That tragic day and the events that unfolded moments after the crash will forever be remembered. Next, check out these stunning, rarely seen photos of Princess Diana.