Twenty-two years ago on August 31, 1997, Princess Diana died tragically in a car crash in Paris. She was just 36 years old. She was known as the People’s Princess, and, at the time, was one of the most popular public figures in the world. Her boyfriend, Dodi Fayed, and the driver of the vehicle, Henri Paul, also died in the accident. Like much of her life, her death was a full-blown media sensation, and it was also the subject of many conspiracy theories. At first, the paparazzi hounding the car was blamed for the crash, but later it was revealed that the driver was under the influence of alcohol and prescription drugs. A formal investigation concluded that the paparazzi did not cause the collision. The funeral for Diana was held days later in London, and it is estimated that over 2 billion people watched the event. Her sons, Prince William, age 15, and Prince Harry, age 12, walked with Prince Charles and her brother Charles Spencer in the funeral cortege.
Many take the time to remember Princess Diana on this day, and there are several memorials in her honor. One memorial is called the Princess Diana Memorial Walk which is part of the Royal Parks in the United Kingdom. The walk takes visitors past several buildings, landmarks, and locations that played a significant role in Diana’s life such as St James’s Park, Green Park, Hyde Park, and Kensington Gardens. It also passes by three palaces and two mansions including Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace. The walk opened on June 30th, 2000, the day before the Princess’s 39th birthday.
