Former Bodyguard Recalls Diana’s Final Hours and Security Choices
A former bodyguard who served Princess Diana and her partner, Dodi Al Fayed, shared reflections about the night of August 31, 1997. He suggested that Diana could have survived the car crash in the Paris tunnel if he had been by her side. He spoke in a recent interview with a tabloid publication, recounting his memories of the events and the conversations that surrounded seat belt use and protection routines in the days leading up to that fateful moment.
In his account, he described learning that the couple and their driver were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. He attributed the outcome in part to the lack of belt use and interpreted the tragedy as something that might have been preventable with different safety choices. He emphasized that belt use is a simple, crucial precaution that should guide drivers and passengers alike, especially in high-risk situations.
The bodyguard noted that he had been instructed by Mohammed Al Fayed, the Egyptian businessman who had played a prominent role in the couple’s circle, to ensure seat belts were worn at all times in his car. He recalled Dodi Al Fayed resisting the idea of wearing a belt, yet he said he personally always insisted on it as a standard safety practice. The admission of belt usage and the insistence on safety measures stood out in his retelling of the routine he followed while in service to the couple and their entourage.
During the recollection, the bodyguard described how, on that particular night, staff members drew lots to determine who would be responsible for guarding Diana and her companion. He recalled that the method involved drawing a match as a deciding token, a moment he described as lengthy and tense as the selection process unfolded. The scene underscored the intense sense of duty and the uncertainties that surrounded the security details of the era.
In discussing Diana’s state of mind, the former aide mentioned that she had expressed fears about a potential assassination attempt. He cited a conversation that followed the murder of Gianni Versace earlier that year, noting that Diana had wondered aloud whether the same danger could reach her. The guard’s memory captured a moment of vulnerability, revealing how the threat landscape weighed on the people close to her and how concerns about safety persisted despite the protections in place.
That night in Paris ended in tragedy. Diana, Dodi Al Fayed, and the driver of the Mercedes, Henri Paul, lost their lives in the tunnel crash. A member of the security team, Trevor Rees-Jones, survived the incident. Accounts of the events from that period have circulated across news outlets and various retrospectives, with different perspectives on what happened in the hours leading up to the crash and during the immediate aftermath. This narrative is drawn from interviews and recollections that aim to provide a window into the security routines and personal fears that characterized the final chapter of Diana’s public life. The broader public remains interested in understanding how safety measures were enforced, what decisions were made, and how those choices may have influenced the outcome of that night in Paris. The recollections presented here align with the accounts given in contemporary media retrospectives and later reflections that sought to piece together the sequence of events from multiple viewpoints.