August 31, 1997. It’s a date burned into the collective memory of just about everyone who was alive back then. But if you look at the last photos of Diana, you don't see a tragedy in progress. Not at first. You see a woman trying to find a second of peace in a city that wouldn't give her an inch.
Honestly, the grainy imagery from that night in Paris is haunting because of what we know happens next. It’s not just about the "money shot" or the tabloid frenzy. It’s about the raw, unfiltered evidence of a woman being hunted.
The elevator ride that haunts us
The most famous of the last photos of Diana isn't actually a photograph at all. It’s a still from a CCTV camera at the Ritz Hotel.
You've probably seen it. Diana is standing in the elevator with Dodi Fayed. She’s wearing those white trousers and a black blazer. Her head is tilted. She’s smiling, just a little bit. It looks like a normal night out, maybe even a happy one.
But look closer at the timestamp: 12:11 a.m.
In less than fifteen minutes, the Mercedes S280 would be a wreck in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel. There is something incredibly heavy about seeing her so relaxed—so normal—just moments before the world changed. Henri Paul, the driver, is there too. He’s seen in the footage tying his shoes, appearing totally fine to the casual observer, though we now know the level of alcohol that was in his system.
The couple was trying to pull off a "dummy run." They sent a decoy car out the front of the Ritz to lure the photographers away. It didn't work. The paparazzi were too smart, or maybe just too hungry.
The "back of the head" shot
When they finally slipped out the rear exit of the hotel on Rue Cambon, the flashes started immediately.
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Jacques Langevin, a photographer who was later caught up in years of legal battles, captured some of the most famous images of this departure. One specific photo shows Diana in the back seat of the Mercedes, looking back through the window. You can only see the back of her blonde hair and the profile of her face as she turns away from the light.
It’s a picture of a woman who is basically exhausted.
Beside her, Dodi looks tense. In the front, Trevor Rees-Jones (the bodyguard) has his hand up to block the sun-bright flashes. Henri Paul is staring straight ahead. This is the last time she was photographed alive.
- The Car: A 1994 Mercedes-Benz S280.
- The Time: Approximately 12:20 a.m.
- The Location: Exiting the Ritz, heading toward Dodi's apartment.
People often argue about these photos. Were the photographers "murderers" or just guys doing a job? That’s the debate that never really dies. During the 2007-2008 inquest, these images were analyzed frame by frame. They didn't just show a celebrity; they showed a pursuit.
The images we were never supposed to see
This is where it gets dark. After the crash at 12:23 a.m., the paparazzi didn't stop. They didn't put the cameras down to pull the door open.
They kept shooting.
For years, rumors swirled about "death photos." Prince Harry has spoken out quite a bit about this, actually. He mentioned in the Diana, 7 Days documentary how hard it was to know that the people who chased her were the same ones taking pictures of her as she lay dying in the back seat.
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French police confiscated hundreds of rolls of film that night.
One photo, which was leaked and then widely suppressed, shows a doctor, Frederic Mailliez, leaning into the wreckage. You can see Diana’s recognizable hair in the footwell of the car. It’s a gruesome, heartbreaking image that proves she was still conscious, or at least alive, in those first few minutes.
Most reputable news outlets refused to publish the truly graphic stuff. Some tabloids in Italy and Germany did, though. It sparked a massive conversation about privacy laws that eventually changed how the press can operate in France.
Why these photos still matter in 2026
We live in a world of 4K smartphone cameras now. Everyone is a paparazzo. But the last photos of Diana represent the peak of a specific kind of "stale" media era.
They serve as a permanent record of the "unlawful killing" verdict handed down by the British jury. The jury didn't just blame Henri Paul's drinking; they specifically blamed the "gross negligence" of the following vehicles.
Basically, the photos are the evidence.
They show the speed. They show the proximity of the motorcycles. They show the chaos. If those photos didn't exist, the conspiracy theories would be even wilder than they already are.
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What we can learn from the archives
If you’re looking into this, don't just look for the sensational stuff. Look at the timeline.
- 4:35 PM: Diana and Dodi arrive at the Ritz.
- 9:50 PM: They return for dinner after being hounded at a local restaurant.
- 12:17 AM: The final departure begins.
- 12:23 AM: The impact in the tunnel.
The shift in her expression between the afternoon and the midnight photos is pretty telling. She goes from looking like a woman on vacation to a woman who feels trapped.
Honestly, the best way to respect the history here is to look at the photos for what they are: a warning. They aren't just "celeb news." They're a record of how things can spiral out of control when the line between public interest and private safety gets blurred.
If you're interested in the technical side of the investigation, you should look into the Lord Stevens' Paget Report. It’s a massive document that goes over every single photo and piece of CCTV footage from that night. It’s dry, sure, but it’s the only way to separate the facts from the "I heard it on the internet" noise.
You should also check out the National Archives' digital collection of the 2007 inquest evidence. It’s the most complete, verified set of images available to the public, and it puts the "last photos" in their proper, somber context.
Next Steps for Research:
- Review the Operation Paget report for the official analysis of the paparazzi's role.
- Compare the Ritz CCTV timestamps to the official police timeline to understand the "missing" minutes.
- Look into the 2006 French court ruling that fined photographers a symbolic one Euro for privacy invasion.