Even though Princess Diana died unexpectedly in a Paris tunnel twenty-eight years ago, recent claims have made us think of a shocking “what if” scenario that suggests the adored royal might have predicted her end weeks earlier. Insiders told RadarOnline that Princess Diana ignored her friends’ blunt advice to avoid that fatal summer break with Dodi Fayed.
Instead of staying home, she wanted to go on a getaway for two. Little did she know that it would become a spectacle for the mainstream press and ultimately be her last holiday alive. Too tragic a gamble, even for the people’s princess.
In July of 1997, Diana (who was only 36 years old at the time) chose a St. Tropez yacht trip with Dodi, the 42-year-old son of Harrods mogul Mohamed Al-Fayed, over a less hazardous Hamptons getaway with the billionaire Teddy Forstmann.
She had wanted to keep out of the royal spotlight, and Camilla Parker Bowles’ 50th birthday celebration in London proved to be one of the main factors behind the decision. Princess Diana hoped that she and the young Princes William and Harry would take a private vacation. Still, in reality, it became a never-ending paparazzi chase that ended up featured in glossy magazines all over the globe.
“Several people told her not to go on that holiday,” one royal source told RadarOnline. “Dodi was already a controversial figure and there were whispers about his behavior even then. Diana (…) didn’t want to hear the warnings.”
According to reports, friends like Rosa Monckton had reservations that Diana would become caught up with the Fayed family. At the same time, more than 100 women have come out with accusations of sexual assault against Mohamed Al-Fayed. Princess Diana was fascinated with the wealth and hospitality at the time and saw only the affection of the family that welcomed her into an opulent home.
And we lost our 8th Wonder 💔
Princess Diana’s last vacation on Mohamed Al Fayed’s yacht, in Portofino (August 1997) pic.twitter.com/hIDsI3qFvq
— Ꭲɑʏᴏ (@TayoPSG) September 27, 2024
The world remembers the famous picture of Diana, sitting calmly in a bright blue swimsuit at the end of the Jonikal yacht’s diving board. The image hides the relentless scrutiny that Princess Diana faced. Although Diana was reportedly incensed at the paparazzi harassment and even confronted photographers by boat, Prince Harry claimed in his memoir Spare that the vacation felt like “heaven.”
ALSO READ: Princess Diana Saw the Writing on the Wall – Her ‘Important Warnings’ to William and Harry Prove It
On August 31, 1997, however, the summer getaway turned into a nightmare. While being followed by photographers, Princess Diana, Dodi, and driver Henri Paul passed away in a painful crash in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris.
A friend told RadarOnline, “Diana believed she was leaving behind the shadow of the royals and moving toward happiness. In truth (…) those around her warned against the Fayeds, but she ignored the advice – and it literally killed her.”
CCTV images show Princess Diana at the Ritz Hotel Paris with Dodi Al-Fayed on August 30, 1997 shortly before their car crashed in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel. Diana lost her life and so did Dodi Fayed, and their driver, Henri Paul. pic.twitter.com/OuPa5zX7dF
— Morbid Knowledge (@Morbidful) June 20, 2025
As the world prepares to mark nearly three decades since her death, this remains one of history’s most enduring royal sagas.
