In Loving Memory of Lady Diana, Princess of Wales (1961 * 1997)
"unconfirmed news from Paris says that Princess Diana, Princess of Wales has died. I repead, unconfirmed news from Paris says Lady Diana, Princess of Wales has died. Stay with us for more details." This comment mixed with sadness and shock was heard in tens of TV & radio stations all over the world early in the morning of 31st August, 1997. More than 500 million of people around the world stuck to their TV sets following the terrible news.
In Paris, and specially in Pitie-Salpetriere hospital where Lady Di's body lays, emotion reigned. hundreds of people, photograhers and policemen were outside the main entrance of the hospital. When Diana's died, some have witnessed the fisrt secretary of the British Embassy in Paris walking outside the hospital, going to a wall, lays to it and then he slid to the ground taking his head between his hands: Diana is never among this world.
In the tunnel, the emotion was more important. Paparazzi, people, tourists, policemen, investigators, the crash of the car, bloods, witnesses, sadness and hungar reigned. Paparazzi, editors and journalists were worldwidely blamed of being the first accused people of killing the Princess, her friend and the driver.
"In the hospital she was as beautiful as we remember her", said a French Diplomat. He added "when her death was declared, the British Ambassador lost his equilibrium and started cried. He cried like a child. We were shocked."
The news reaches Balmoral Castle, in Scotland where the Royal Family spends the vacation. The Queen was the first to know the news. Prince Charles informed his sons, her sons, William and Harry.
The night of August 31st, 1997 turned to a day. Telephones rung around the world, faxes and emails crossed the world, emotion, hate, shock and hungar, fear and sadness, normal people, rich and poor, Presidents, Kings, Princes and Ministers, Diana's death unified the world for at least more than a week until her funeral on Saturday September 6th, 1997. More than 2 millions in the streets of London, about 6 millions along her final journey from London to Althorp, her final destination.
When she died I was in Tunisia. My cousin told me in the morning of August 31st, 1997 saying "the Queen Diana, has died". I froze and asked him "who? who dies Diana or the Queen?", he replied " I do not know, You know her better than me. Go and watch the television." It was a terrible day. I called the British Ambassador's residence in La Marsa, Tunis. I talked with Mrs. Genevieve Edis, Ambassador's wife. She calmed me down. After two days, I went to the British Embassy to present my condolences to the British Ambassodors the Late Excellency Richard Edis (who dies of Cancer few years later). My late father (who dies in 2006) went with me.
Is it a simple accident? or an assassination? Some are talking that Dodi Al Fayed was the target, may be by the MI6, secret services of UK, may be the target of businessmen or dealers of weapons and drugs. Some says it was unacceptable that Princess Diana knows a Muslim-Arab like Dodi Al Fayed, especially that she is the mother of a future king of UK.
Many people have heard about the white Fiat Punto that bothered the Mercedes, but witnesses said that that Fiat has entered and exited of the tunnel before the Mercedes went into, but the Fiat was zigzagging. It seems that its driver saw something inside the tunnel just few minutes before the Mercedes came. Few days after Diana's death, the driver of the white Fiat was murdered in a way to be thought to be a suicide. He was a known paparazzo.
Another witnesses said that when the Mercedes entered the tunnel, the paparazzi were far a way of it of about more than a minute or two, which means that the car was not so bothered as it was said by the paparazzi. they were behind it, but not so close.
Another witnesses said that they saw people with cameras on their backs inside the tunnel just before the Mercedes went into.
These testimonies enforced the idea that Lady Di and her companies have been victims of a murder.
May they rest in Peace.
