Diana was killed in a car crash in the early hours of August 31, 1997, a year after her divorce from Prince Charles. Her death sparked a wave of public grief and still attracts conspiracy theories 25 years later. Analysis: Princess Diana’s death may have implications for the royals Image: Then Royal Coroner Michael Burgess (L), French Police Chief Constable Madame Martine Monteil and Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir John Stevens (R) pictured at the scene in 2004 In a new Channel 4 documentary series, Investigating Diana: Death In Paris, detectives from the 1997 French Brigade Criminelle discuss the Fiat Uno that was allegedly there at the time but has never been located. They say the driver of the car could possibly have helped explain the movements of the black Mercedes in which Diana, 36, and her partner Dodi Fayed were traveling. Martine Monteil, head of the Brigade Criminelle, told the programme: “The whole world has struggled to accept that the Princess of Wales died in a mundane accident.” He added: “I’m disappointed with the Fiat Uno because I like a job well done. “Sure, it’s out there, unfortunately we don’t have it. “But you know the driver of the Fiat Uno, he is not the real culprit. “He drives quietly and then a Mercedes comes at high speed and hits him. The responsibility remains with Mercedes.” Mercedes Diana was a passenger on the night of the crash and was chased by paparazzi after leaving the Ritz hotel in Paris. The car crashed into the Pont de l’Alma tunnel and Mr Fayed, 41 – son of Harrods owner Mohamed Al Fayed – and driver Henri Paul were also killed. Bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones survived. A couple at the scene said they saw a white Fiat Uno come out of the tunnel and the driver was focused on his mirrors, investigators said. Traces of white paint were found on the Mercedes and the rear light was broken. Fabrice Cuvillier, of the Brigade Criminelle, said the Fiat Uno exists, telling the programme: “It’s not an illusion. It’s not something we threw in to create a diversion. It exists.” Eric Guigu, also from the Brigade Criminelle, said authorities were “doing everything we could to understand what happened” and more than 1,000 people had been questioned in the investigation by French authorities. “In my mind the only door that remains open is the testimony of the driver of the Fiat Uno,” he said. Ten years after the crash, a verdict of “unlawful murder” was returned at an inquest in the UK, stating that Paul was drunk and driving too fast and the car was chased by photographers.
