|
| |
To comment on or add to this Mystery please e-mail us at: content@aquiziam.com (To assist us please use "Princess Diana" in the title)
|
|
|
PRINCESS DIANA REPORT
The tragic death of Princess Diana is a mystery - not perhaps because of conspiracy nor because it is unusual for people to die in car accidents. It is a mystery because so many millions of people from around the world believe that it is.
Why do people feel as they do? Some will answer that the "convenience" of her death is too much to be a coincidence while others may simply be unable to accept that such a prominent, almost iconic, heroine could die in a way so pointless. "There must be more to it", they cry. The simple truth is that many people just feel that there are still far too many unanswered questions. |
|
|
|
|
Princess Diana as she was known to the British public and, to a lesser extent, the world will be remembered by history. While her actual personal achievements were modest, her media impact can only be described as a global phenomenon. Born Diana Frances Spencer she was the youngest daughter of Edward John Spencer, Viscount Althorp and his first wife, Frances Spencer, Viscountess Althorp, nee the Honourable Frances Burke Roche.
At a fairly young age Diana experienced the unpleasant divorce of her parents based on her mother’s apparent affair with Peter Kydd. Although Diana originally stayed with her mother in Knightsbridge, London, following an unpleasant divorce, her custody transferred to her father.
Her engagement to Prince Charles became official on the 24 February 1981 and they were married at St Paul's Cathedral on the 29 July 1981. Diana Spencer thus became Diana, Princess of Wales. Millions of people, captivated by the shear romance of the event watched the wedding either live or on the television. It marked a new chapter in the history of the British monarchy. It turned out to be a turbulent one that would batter the House of Windsor with wave after wave of negative publicity.
As report after report emerged it seemed that Princess Diana’s marriage was not a happy one and as rumour became likely-reality and then fact, the British media and international paparazzi began to resemble a pack of wolves and hounded the Royals – something they had never done to this extent before. Allegations of adultery, psychological illness and bizarre behaviour plagued Princess Diana. Charles too was scrutinised and his relationship with Mrs Camilla Parker-Bowles became increasingly exposed. His popularity fell as did hers. Discussions suggesting that Charles should never ascend to the throne and should pass the crown straight to Prince William were common in British households.
On 24 November 1992 The Queen gave a speech at Guildhall to mark the 40th anniversary of her Accession. In it The Queen referred to recent events as part of an 'annus horribilis'. (A Horrible Year) (Report: British Monarchy Media Centre)
As each year passed the media circus increased thus adding even more pressure to the doomed marriage. Each report on the lives of Princess Diana and Prince Charles became more damning. In the end, divorce! On the 15th of July 1996 the divorce of Princess Diana and Prince Charles was finalised in the High Court. Critically, Diana was allowed to retain the title “Princess of Wales.” |
|
|
Sunday Express, June 26, 2005 - www.scottbaker-inquests.gov.uk
|
|
No matter what has been "spun" by the media, one can only speculate about how Princess Diana really felt about the divorce. The terms were allegedly very restrictive although it appears she ignored many of them. In a psychological sense, she must have had many mixed emotions.
It is likely that she hoped that now her marriage to the future King of England was over she would be allowed to regain some aspects of a normal life. If so - she was wrong
Still the press and media pursued her so they could report on her activities. She sold newspapers. For Princess Diana it was a love hate relationship that she had sometimes used and encouraged while at other times she hated. There is no doubt that at times she must have despaired of ever having private life. |
|
|
A little over a year later Diana, Princess of Wales, was dead. A report from Wikipedia 2007 describes the event:
“On 31 August 1997, (Princess) Diana died after a high speed car accident in the Pont d'Alma** road tunnel in Paris along with Dodi Al-Fayed and the acting security manager of the Hotel Ritz Paris, Henri Paul, who was instructed to drive the hired Mercedes-Benz through Paris secretly eluding the paparazzi. Their black 1994 Mercedes-Benz S280 (registration no. 688 LTV 75) crashed into the eighteenth (actually 13th) pillar of the tunnel. The two-lane tunnel was built without metal barriers between the pillars, so a slight change in vehicle direction could easily result in a head-on collision with a tunnel pillar. None of the four occupants wore seatbelts.
The paparazzi, who had been trailing the car, arrived at the Alma underpass at different stages. Serge Arnal, Christian Martinez and Stéphane Darmon appear to have arrived first, quickly followed by Serge Benhamou. Records supplied by mobile telephone operators Itinéris and SFR support Serge Arnal's claim that he attempted to call the emergency services. Film seized from the cameras of Christian Martinez and Serge Arnal showed that they were taking photographs of the car and/or the occupants almost immediately after arrival at the scene – there were no emergency services near the car visible in their photographs.” Wikipedia 2007
“Bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones, who was in the passenger seat, was closest to the point of impact and yet he was the only survivor of the crash. Henri Paul and Dodi Fayed were killed instantly, and (Princess) Diana — unbelted in the back seat- slid forward during the impact and, having been violently thrown around the interior, "submarined" under the seat in front of her, suffering massive damage to her heart with subsequent internal bleeding. She was eventually, after considerable delay, transported by ambulance to the Hospital Pitié-Salpêtrière, but on the way she went into cardiac arrest twice. Despite lengthy resuscitation attempts, including internal cardiac massage, she died at 4 a.m. local time.” Wikipedia 2007
This report in the Aquiziam website is not about the life of Diana, Princess of Wales - remarkable, fascinating and tragic as it was. It is about the unanswered (or possibly unanswered) questions that surround her death. In the words of Lord Justice Scott Baker, who is currently heading up the most sincere inquest into the Death of Diana:
“Why, you may ask, are we doing this 10 years after the event? Because memories fade, possible witnesses have died or disappeared and, uniquely to this case, quite literally millions of words have been written by a great many people expressing views on what did or did not happen.” (Report from: www.scottbaker-inquests.gov.uk.”)
This section of the website is about that which is inexplicable. If there are genuine answers supported by reliable evidence, we will be among the first to announce that the mystery has ended. Still, in the matter of the Death of Princess Diana, there remains a host of questions that have not been answered. |
|
|
The Scott Baker inquiry genuinely seems to be tackling the more difficult issues surrounding her death and have kindly permitted material displayed on their official website to be reproduced.
“The Assistant Deputy Coroner has no objection to the evidence posted on the Inquests' website being reproduced. If an issue arises in relation to copyright in any such material, it should be a matter for consideration by the legal adviser to the media organisation wishing to use the material.
When used, material should be credited to the Inquests' website so it is clear that it has been shown in open court as part of the Inquests' proceedings. The credit is to read: www.scottbaker-inquests.gov.uk.” |
|
|
|
|
The current inquest report lists twenty “issues” or unanswered questions. These are:
Whether driver error on the part of Henri Paul caused or contributed to the cause of the collision
Whether Henri Paul’s ability to drive was impaired through drink or drugs
Whether a Fiat Uno or any other vehicle caused or contributed to the collision
Whether the actions of the Paparazzi caused or contributed to the cause of the collision
Whether the road/tunnel layout and construction were inherently dangerous and if so whether this contributed to the collision
Whether any bright/flashing lights contributed to or caused the collision and, if so, their source
Whose decision it was that the Princess of Wales and Dodi Al Fayed should leave from the rear entrance to the Ritz and that Henri Paul should drive the vehicle
Henri Paul’s movements between 7 and 10 pm on 30 August 1997
The explanation for the money in Henri Paul’s possession on 30 August 1997 and in his bank account
Whether Andanson was in Paris on the night of the collision
Whether the Princess of Wales’ life would have been saved if she had reached hospital sooner or if her medical treatment had been different
Whether the Princess of Wales (Diana*) was pregnant
Whether the Princess of Wales (Diana*) and Dodi Al Fayed were about to announce their engagement
Whether and, if so in what circumstances, the Princess of Wales (Diana*) feared for her life
The circumstances relating to the purchase of the ring
The circumstances in which the Princess of Wales’ (Diana*) body was embalmed
Whether the evidence of Tomlinson throws any light on the collision
Whether the British or any other security services had any involvement in the collision
Whether there was anything sinister about (i) the Cherruault burglary or (ii) the disturbance at the Big Pictures agency
Whether correspondence belonging to the Princess of Wales (Diana*) (including some from Prince Philip) has disappeared, and if so the circumstances
(report source: www.scottbaker-inquests.gov.uk.)
These questions are good! They do tackle many of the concerns that a worldwide public seem to be aware of with regard to the death of Diana. However, there are more that do not seem to be included in this list. These are: |
|
|
MORE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
Report Question: What is the hand gesture she is making in the photograph produced - Sunday People 15-02-1998 Shown on the Official inquest site?
Report Question: Why did the British wait 10 years before a formal inquest?
Report Question: Is it true that the RAF team, that flew Tony Blair from his constituency of Sedgewick to meet the Princesses body in London, had actually been put on standby two days before – while the Princess was still alive? (Daily Mail Newspaper Website 17th June 2006 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=391065&in_page_id=1770 )
Report Question: Is it true that two diplomats working for the secret intelligence service MI6 were operating at the British Embassy in Paris during the weeks before Diana’s death? (Daily Mail Newspaper Website 17th June 2006
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=391065&in_page_id=1770 )
Report Question: Why was British Government protection of Diana allegedly withdrawn after her divorce from Prince Charles – she was still the mother of the future king of England? (Daily Mail Newspaper Website 17th June 2006
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=391065&in_page_id=1770 )
Report Question: Were the cameras in the tunnel out-of-order? If they weren’t working then what were the circumstances surrounding there failure?
Report Question: Would it have been possible to switch the blood samples from Henri Paul? If so, is there a “certain” way to retest perhaps using DNA to verify the sample?
Report Question: Is it true that Rees-Jones, an apparently broken man after the crash, now has a high-powered security job with the United Nations.
Report Question: Why didn’t they wear seatbelts?
Report Question: Why did the body guards Trevor Rees-Jones and Kez Wingfield allow Henri Paul to drive the car?
Report Question: Is it true that Jean-Paul Andanson, the alleged owner of the mysterious white Fat Uno and whose almost unidentifiable body was found in a burnt out car in the woods near Nantes, an apparent suicide by fire, also had a bullet hole in his head?
Report Question: Is it true that a week prior to the crash in the Point d'Alma Tunnel the BBC (British Broadcasting Company) conducted a dress rehearsal funeral for a member of the royal family?
Report Question: Is it true that Sir Robert Fellowes (currently Lord Fellowes) and private secretary to the Queen and brother-in-law to Princess Diana was seen at the British Embassy in Paris on the night of the accident and did he insist that the regular wireless operator leave his post?
Report Question: Why did Sir Elton John use the song “Candle in the Wind” a song about Marylyn Monroe, another remarkable woman who also died in mysterious circumstances, to reflect on the life and death of Princess Diana? |
|
|
|
|
There are more questions – many of them so wild as not to be worthy of inclusion – at this time. The Scott Baker inquiry and its concluding report will undoubtedly discover even more that the public have not even dreamt of yet.
The decision to include a section report on Princess Diana was a difficult one. The simple facts are just that – simple.
The couple, Dodi and Princess Diana, were in a way, having fun. The situation was exciting and annoying at the same time. Bad decisions were made in the heat of the moment. Things went wrong. The driver was over the limit. The tunnel was dangerous. An unfortunate accident that is very convenient for so many people and the media, especially the internet, is overloaded with conspiracy theories. |
|
|
At first, the team was of the opinion that this was nothing more than a tragic accident. Still, perhaps out of perversity, we started searching the media and the web. The more we searched the various reports, the more questions seemed to be unanswered with no official organisation (up until now) prepared to investigate or answer them fully.
Perhaps, we asked ourselves, is this so wrong? According to a report on the Scott-Baker inquiry website, their (and previous) investigations have already cost the tax payer in excess of GBP 1.5 million (about 3.1 million Dollars by June 2007). It does seem reasonable that at some point somebody should say – enough! Still, if you take a different perspective and look at the value of the publicity and media sales (primary only) generated by Princess Diana-related stories in the press, a very conservative estimate places it in excess of 1.9 Billion GBP over ten years. A law suit relating to the title of an illegitimate child born to a woman retaining the title of the “Princess of Wales”, especially if the child was of Islamic birth, could easily reach more than five million Great British Pounds. One final thought on monetary value is this, Britain is Tourist PLC. The Monarchy is a major, if elusive, tourist attraction. It is the last great Kingdom on the planet Earth. The value of a “beloved” and "benign" British monarchy to the tourism industry supporting the well-being of the British economy is almost incalculable. Suddenly the cost of the inquest and the importance of serious answers are understandable and not so expensive after all.
On that terrible night most of the Aquiziam team, as was the world, were sleeping or blissfully unaware of the tragedy that was occurring. It has taken “millions of words”, some lunatic in their beliefs, to take us where we are today. Perhaps the Scott Baker inquiry will provide the answers or perhaps, as in the case of the assassination of John F. Kennedy, the speculation will continue. Whatever occurs, the more questions that are answered the more people will appreciate the effort that has been made. Unfortunately, so much has been written and the waters so muddied that it is very likely that many people will never be satisfied. It is worth noting that allowing this situation to occur is a tactic in itself.
At the time, Princess Diana's funeral on 6 September 1997 was broadcast and watched by an estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide. The outpouring of grief was enormous and the outrage of the public could be felt everywhere. Today, so many years later, it has become fashionable to be dismissive of the event almost as if people were embarrassed that they had shown so much emotion. The world has moved on and the word “conspiracy” has been used so much in connection with this mystery that to even discuss it today seems to class the speaker as part of the lunatic fringe. How convenient that would be if there really was a conspiracy. Still, it isn’t the role of the Aquiziam team to decide. We are the first to admit that: We don’t know! We weren’t there when it happened.
One last thought about this mystery is this; Princess Diana, Dodi Fayed and Henri Paul all had people who loved them. They were all human beings not objects. Their parents, children, siblings and friends certainly all have the right to know the truth. They also have a moral right, ignored as it so often has been, to the understanding of the general public that this was real. These people died. They are gone forever. No matter whether they were good or bad, no matter what happened, nothing will bring them back.
Footnote:
We will add more information to this page as more is revealed. If you have a sensible unanswered question or a factual answer, please submit it to us at content@aquiziam.com for our consideration.
* The name “Diana” has been added to avoid confusion.
** It’s a little spooky that when the name “d'Alma” is put through the Microsoft Word spellchecker the first suggested correct spelling is “Drama”. It’s a coincidence of course but very much in keeping with the whole mystery. |
|
All images used are copyright protected, www.scottbaker-inquests.gov.uk (C)
“Given enough time it is inevitable that a burning desire for factual truth will always and eventually become merely an academic interest in ancient history.”
Paul Vincent (1964 -) |
|
To comment on, or add to, this Mystery please e-mail us at: content@aquiziam.com (To assist us please use "Princess Diana" in the title) |
|
