Diana with baby Prince William in 1982.
Photo by Lord Snowdon.
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Diana Day by Day
@DianaDaybyDay
May to September: real time tweets of events in the life of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997. Commentary and research the rest of the year. #Diana25
Diana Day by Day’s posts
Sunday 31 August 1997
Diana, Princess of Wales is pronounced dead at 4am by doctors who valiantly tried to save her at the Pitié Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris.
Diana 1 July 1961-31 August 1997
Twenty-five years later, her legacy lives on.
#Diana25
Sunday 31 August 1997
4am in Paris
Diana, Princess of Wales is pronounced dead at the Pitié Salpêtrière Hospital.
1 July 1961-31 August 1997
She is still greatly missed.
#Diana24
Find it hard to believe she knew nothing about the Royal Family.
#HarryMeghanOprah
Thursday 21 August 1997
Diana is photographed in Chelsea with her eldest son and heir to the British throne HRH Prince William () after lunch in Langton Street, just off the King’s Road.
#Diana25
Thursday 21 August 1997
Diana is photographed in Chelsea with her eldest son and heir to the British throne William () after lunch in Langton Street, just off the King’s Road.
#Diana24
31 August 1997
Diana, Princess of Wales is pronounced dead at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris.
1961-1997
#Diana20
Anyone remotely surprised by the admission of cocaine use?
I’m not.
To conclude tonight's musings on Harry's book:
1. It is disappointed that one of Diana's sons appears to have been influenced by pervasion misinformation about her death to the point that he has written a factually inaccurate book.
Sunday 31 August 1997
4am in Paris
Diana, Princess of Wales is pronounced dead at the Pitié Salpêtrière Hospital.
RIP Diana
1/7/1961-31/8/1997
Her kindness and compassion must never be forgotten.
I thought His Majesty did a wonder job of his speech. Very moving tribute to his mother. Delighted that there will be a new Prince and Princess of Wales and very impressed that he gave his love to Harry and Meghan.
Diana was fiercely defensive of him, even after the divorce.
Doctor friend tells me :
““Remains comfortable” means they have started her on the morphine. Won’t be long now.”
My friend elaborated that Remains Comfortable is a euphemism used in palliative care for starting morphine.
😢
Thanks to everyone who has made kind comments about this year's timeline.
I'm hopefully going to be able to do a superthread about the events of 31 August later tonight, family and work commitments permitting.
I will be tweeting events up the funeral next week.
#Diana24
Sunday 31 August 1997
4am in Paris
Diana, Princess of Wales is pronounced dead at the Pitié Salpêtrière Hospital by those who valiantly tried to save her life.
1/7/1961-31/8/1997
We must never forget the love and compassion she brought to the workd.
Sunday 31 August 1997
Diana, Princess of Wales is pronounced dead at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital.
The emergency, ambulance and hospital personnel in Paris all made valiant efforts to save her.
RIP Diana 1961-1997
She is still sorely missed.
Watching #confrontingholocaustdenial on BBC2 with
I’ve long thought holocaust denial should be illegal. It’s a perversion of the truth with utterly vile racism lying at the root of it.
It simply cannot be defended as free speech.
Tuesday 26 August 1997
The iconic image of Diana on the Jonikal's diving board is reported in the press.
#Diana24
Monday 4 August 1997
It's the Queen mother's 97th birthday. More than a thousand people have waited to see her at Clarence House.
The Queen Mother with Grandson Charles and Great-Grandsons William and Harry meeting the crowds.
Hello everyone, just to say I've finally finished scheduling the timeline and am off to bed.
After the timeline finishes, I won't post again until tomorrow evening.
Thanks to everyone who has followed, made supportive comments, engaged and donated.
Good night!
Monday 1 September 1997
It was seeing Diana's obituary in the Times with this 1987 portrait of her by Terence Donovan that finally brought it home to me that she was dead after being glued to the TV for 24 hours.
I just cried.
Frederic Lucard arrives with the Mercedes S280 in the Rue Cambon.
Diana shields her face as she emerges.
#Diana20
Sunday 31 August 1997
12.23am
A car driven at a dangerous speed by a drunk driver crashes into the thirteenth pillar of the Alma Underpass in central Paris
It is carrying Diana, Princess of Wales - mother to the second and third in line to the British throne.
#Diana24
Sunday 24 August 1997
Today, the Jonikal has left Monaco and is headed to the Italian port of Portofino, near Genoa.
A photo of Diana taken today.
#Diana24
The grave of Diana, Princess of Wales
A peaceful, graceful and fitting resting place.
With these images of Diana's grave, the timeline finishes for 2022.
Thank you to everyone who has been kind and supportive this year.
#Diana25
Diana and Dodi hug each other and hold hands while they wait in the service entrance for the car to arrive.
Thursday 21 August 1997 was the day Diana left British shores forever.
Her body was returned to RAF Northolt ten days later.
I rarely drive past the Air Force base on the A40 without thinking of her and the events of that day.
Have a good Saturday night everyone.
#Diana24
Monday 1 September 1997
It was seeing Diana's obituary in the Times with this 1987 portrait of her by Terence Donovan that brought it home to me she had died.
I just cried.
Moment of the night.
Quote
Wednesday 4 September 1997
The gates at Kensington Palace photographed today.
#Diana24
31 August 1997
The Mercedes carrying Diana, Princess of Wales -mother of the future British King- crashes in the Alma Underpass.
#Diana20
Friday 5 September 1997
Princes Charles, William and Harry followed the hearse carrying Diana’s coffin to Kensington Palace in a Rolls Royce.
It was clearly a harrowing experience for the young princes
#Diana24
A week today this account will be Diana Minute by Minute.
Had a message from Diana’s close friend last night that she responds to me because
“You are forensic in what you do. You research thoroughly and don’t speculate.”
Most valued praise I’ve had in 8 years.🌹
Romuald Rat, Serge Arnal, Christian Martinez and Stephane Darmon arrive to a horrifying scene in the Alma Underpass.
Over the weekend, I will be explaining Fayed's indirect responsibility for Diana's death and how that provides an explanation for the ridiculous lies he told to cover up that responsibility.
In the UK, 's late night film, Borsalino, is interrupted by a news report.
youtube.com/watch?v=FPhCuz
#Diana20
The BBC started their broadcast of rolling news at 2.30am. Her death was not announced until 5.15am.
#Diana20
youtube.com/watch?v=OpQrgA
Diana sits with her back to the side window to deny the paparazzi any usable photos
She stays sitting like this throughout the journey
Monday 1 September 1997
Throughout the summer of 1997, a typical day would have 5 to 10 press articles about Diana when she was in the news.
On this day, there are over 250 articles about her.
#Diana25
Monday 4 August 1997
It's the Queen mother's 97th birthday. More than a thousand people have waited to see her at Clarence House.
The Queen Mother with Grandson Charles and Great-Grandsons William and Harry meeting the crowds.
20 days from now, this account will be tweeting a minute by minute narrative of Diana’s last day.
Thanks to everyone who has been kind, supportive and appreciative this year albeit that it was only for three weeks.
The timeline will be back next year for #Diana24
My email address is bryantpark06@gmail.com if anyone wants to email me.
Good evening.
Wednesday 4 September 1997
The gates at Kensington Palace.
#Diana25
I’m 33 followers away from 7000.
The timeline on 30/31 August always leads to a surge. Hopefully most are willing to wait a year for #Diana25
I think of the words of Winston Churchill on the death of her father in 1952:
“A Spirit Undaunted”
💔😭
After Diana's death was pronouced at about 4am local time on 31 August 1997 at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris, a press conference was arranged at the hospital to announce her death to the world. The Press conference was led by Dr Bruno Riou with Professor Alain Pavie. 1/
Frederic Lucard hears Henri Paul shout to the paparazzi:
"Don't try to follow us, you will never catch us"
Queuing for security now. Finished off all my food and water. #TheQueue
This account has gained nearly 1000 followers in two weeks. Individual tweets are getting around six times the reach and interactions compared to three years ago.
How disappointing is tonight’s episode of #InvestigatingDiana?
Dominated by two Fayed propagandists inanely repeating claims that have long been completely discredited by lengthy investigations at huge public expense to appease a powerful man of a bad character. 1/2
Monday 1 September 1997
Throughout the summer of 1997, a typical day would have 5 to 10 press articles when Diana was in the news.
On this day, there are over 250 articles about her.
#Diana24
Sunday 31 August 1997
Despite the very best efforts of Professor Pavie, Dr Riou, Dr Martino and many other staff at the hospital, Diana's heart has not restarted beating.
Professor Pavie has even physically held Diana's heart in his own hands in attempting to save her
#Diana25
Sunday 31 August 1997
At the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, despite the very best efforts of Professor Pavie, Dr Riou, Dr Martino and their many colleagues, Diana's heart has not restarted
Professor Pavie has even physically held Diana's heart in his own hands to try and save her.
The full extent of the damage to the car is shocking.
None of the occupants was wearing a seatbelt. Two are dead.
Just got to the chapter where Harry describes looking at the photos his private secretary obtained of the crash his mother died in
Only jarring word was ‘allegedly’ in describing the alcohol found in Henri Paul’s blood.
Already proven beyond reasonable doubt alcohol was present
"...but Harry and William are impatient to resume playing with Peter and Zara.
Diana tells her sons to go and play as she expects to see them in London tomorrow.
She has told several friends recently she cannot wait to see them again.
#Diana24
Dr Mailliez and the off duty fireman giving first aid to Diana and Trevor Rees-Jones.
Dr Mailliez has not recognised Diana.
A friend sent me this photo he took as he walked past Buckingham Palace about 7pm.
Large numbers of people were walking with flowers.
It was a very emotional atmosphere.
The mercedes moves off with Henri Paul driving, moving briskly down the Rue Cambon to Rue de Rivoli
No one in the car is wearing a seatbelt
2 June 1997: Tonight Diana is at a preview of the auction of her dresses in London.
The sale of her dresses was a suggestion of Prince William as she needed to clear out her past and it's an opportunity to raise for charity.
Dr Martino finds Diana to be crying and incoherent.
She is in an awkward position in the car and will need very careful handling so as not to make her injuries worse.
It has occurred to Dr Martino that she may have internal injuries associated with rapid deceleration.
Replying to
Dunno you about you, but this makes feel worried. I really hope her younger son is not going try and revive the discredited Fayed/conspiracy theory narrative.
£12 million of public money and countless hours of police and court time was spent on investigating them.
Just to say a big thank you to everyone who has followed since last night.
And thanks to those who have followed for longer than that.
In 2014, when I started this, I had about 350 followers on 30 August.
Dr Martino finds Diana to be crying and incoherent.
She is in an awkward position in the car and will need very careful handling.
Saturday 6 September 1997
At the end of Earl Spencer's Eulogy to his sister Diana, applause starts outside the Abbey and is taken up by the congregation inside, taking many people by surprise.
It is a truly remarkable moment.
#Diana24
The Mercedes spins round after hitting the 13th pillar at high speed and comes to rest
Dodi Fayed and Henri Paul have died instantly.
Replying to
This has been something of a 'brain dump' of what I know of events of 31 August, which I don't usually go into too much detail about as they are covered else where. I will post occaisonal tweets each day over the next week.
Good night. 19/19
#Diana24
Sunday 10 August 1997
On the road from Sarajevo, Diana stops to comfort a bereaved mother who was leaving flowers at the grave of her son.
Svetlana Dragan was leaving flowers on the grave of her son Tadic when Diana passed by.
#Diana24
1997: Prime Minister #TonyBlair reacts to Diana's death, calling her 'The People's Princess'
youtu.be/yX8nuyI9WJY
Saturday 30 August 1997
Diana calls Balmoral to speak to her sons, William and Harry.
They are outside with their cousins Peter and Zara Phillips.
Someone calls:
"Mummy's on the phone!"
They go inside and Diana tells William and Harry she is in Paris... 1/2
#Diana25
Some photos of Dodi and Diana on the Jonikal's Tender as they end their second cruise on the Jonikal on Saturday, 30 August 1997.
Their next destination is Paris where Dodi has some unspecified business to attend to.
Tuesday 12 August 1997
Meanwhile, at Balmoral, Charles has arranged a press photo shoot with the Princes.
Sunday 31 August 1997
12.23am
A car driven at a dangerous speed by a drunk driver crashes into the thirteenth pillar of the Alma Underpass in central Paris
It is carrying Diana, Princess of Wales - mother of the heir to the British throne.
Friday 22 August 1997
Paparazzi photos taken on the Jonikal today.
Saturday 30 August 1997
The couple are on the Jonikal preparing to leave for Paris.
Diana thought she would be going straight home to London today and so tells Rene Delorm over breakfast how much she is looking forward to seeing William and Harry tomorrow.
#Diana24
Sunday 8 June 1997
Prince William arrives at Kensington Palace as his mother is going to take him to lunch in Chelsea with her friend Christopher Whalley
William finds his mother in tears as she is so upset he invited Tiggy Legge-Bourke to his sports day last week
Friday 5 September 1997
The night before Diana's funeral Kensington Gardens have been turned into a massive shrine #Diana24
youtu.be/as9o22s-euI
Thanks again to everyone who has been kind, supportive and who has enjoyed this year’s time line.
If you would like to make a donation (or leave a tip), please follow the link below.
paypal.com/donate/?hosted
The timeline will be back next year for #Diana25
Have a good evening
Dr Dahman carries out a thoracotomy in an attempt to locate and stop the internal bleeding.
This involves opening Diana's chest.
Her heart is internally massaged to try to get it to restart and to keep her blood circulating.
Every effort is being made to save her.
Diana is still alive but seriously injured, she is stuck in an awkard position in the footwell of the back seat.
Romuald Rat opens the right rear door of the wrecked car to find Diana seriously injured.
Christian Martinez has dialled 112 emergency.