Princess Diana’s passing remains one of the most heartbreaking moments in modern royal history.

At just 36 years old, the Princess of Wales died in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997. The accident also claimed the lives of her partner Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul.

An investigation later determined that Diana’s death was caused by severe injuries sustained in the crash. Paul, who was over the drink-driving limit, was behind the wheel as the car was pursued by paparazzi into the Alma Tunnel.

Medical crews fought to save her life, resuscitating her more than once at the scene. But despite their efforts, Diana was pronounced dead after arriving at the hospital.

In a deeply moving gesture, a photograph of her sons, Princes William and Harry, was placed in her hands soon after her passing.

Diana’s Final Summer

In the weeks leading up to her death, Diana spent time in Europe, including a holiday in the South of France with William and Harry. Photographs from that trip showed her enjoying the sunshine in St Tropez, along with Dodi Fayed, with whom she was reportedly growing closer.

They stayed at Mohamed Al-Fayed’s lavish 30-bedroom villa, and the princess was also spotted relaxing on the family’s yacht.

That summer, Diana attended the memorial service for Gianni Versace in Milan and made headlines in Bosnia, where she carried out a landmine walk to raise awareness for victims. She later returned to the South of France, traveled to Sardinia, and ultimately to Paris with Dodi.

The Private Moments After Her Passing

Those who were closest to Diana during her final days later recalled the quiet, intimate moments in the hospital after her death.

Her former driver and minder, Colin Tebbutt, and Father Yves-Marie Clochard-Bossuet, the priest who attended her, shared their memories with the Daily Mail.

According to their accounts, a photograph of William and Harry, found in her handbag, was placed in her hands. Alongside it were rosary beads that Mother Teresa had gifted her.

Prince Harry Reflects on His Mother’s Funeral

Diana’s death left William, then 15, and Harry, just 12, devastated. At the time, the boys were at Balmoral Castle with their father, Prince Charles, and their grandmother, the Queen.

Years later, Harry opened up about his memories of the funeral in his AppleTV+ series The Me You Can’t See in 2021.

“For me, the thing I remember the most was the sound of the horse’s hooves going along the Mall, the red brick road,” he recalled.

He admitted that both he and William were still in shock during the event:

“It was like I was outside of my body. I’m just walking along and doing what was expected of me… showing the one-tenth of the emotion that everybody else was showing.

“This was my mum, you never even met her.”