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Report: Diana's death 'tragic accident'

By WASHINGTON POST
Published December 15, 2006

LONDON - Nine years after Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris, one of the most exhaustive official investigations in recent British history has concluded that her death was a tragic accident and not murder.

"I do not believe that any evidence currently exists that can substantiate the allegations of conspiracy to murder; there was no conspiracy and there was no coverup," said John Stevens, who led a $7-million Scotland Yard inquiry that took nearly three years and involved more than 300 witness interviews, computerized modeling of the crash site and even pregnancy testing on Diana's blood found in the smashed Mercedes sedan.

The 832-page report did not assess blame for the deaths.

"A crash of this nature is similar to a major crash of an airliner," said Stevens, a former Metropolitan Police chief. "There is a long chain of events. Take out any link of that chain and this would not have happened."

The Stevens inquiry is part of a wider British government investigation into the death, which has been long-delayed by complex police investigations and a lengthy French investigation, which concluded in 1999 that the deaths of Diana, 36, her companion, Dodi Fayed, 42, and chauffeur Henri Paul were accidental.

Prince William and his younger brother, Prince Harry, released a statement Thursday saying they "trust that these conclusive findings will end the speculation surrounding the death of their mother."

Dodi Fayed's father, Mohamed al Fayed, told reporters that the report was "garbage" and a "coverup" and that Stevens was a "tool for the establishment and the royal family."

Key findings from a three-year police investigation of the deaths of Princess Diana and her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed:

What happened: The report did not assign blame for the Aug. 31, 1997, crash.

Safety: Henri Paul, who was driving, had a blood-alcohol level more than three times the French legal limit. None of those killed was wearing a seat belt.

Engagement: No evidence that Diana and Dodi Fayed were engaged. A friend of the princess, Annabel Goldsmith, said Diana told her the night before her death: "I need marriage like a rash on my face."

Pregnancy: Fayed's father alleged Diana was pregnant with his son's child. Tests on Diana's blood found no evidence of pregnancy.

Royal family: The inquiry found no evidence to support al Fayed's claim that Philip, Charles' father, was directly involved in a conspiracy to murder the princess.

MI5: The inquiry categorically dismissed the role of British internal intelligence agency MI5 in Diana's death.

Various theories: The inquiry dismissed theories centering around a Fiat that allegedly hit Diana's Mercedes at some point during the evening, a very bright flash reportedly seen in the tunnel before the accident, and the suicide of a man some accused of being at the scene of the crash.

[Last modified December 15, 2006, 01:03:04]