Who was Henri Paul, Princess Diana’s driver? – The sun

DRIVER and bodyguard Henri Paul died on August 31, 1997, when the car he was driving crashed in Paris.

The horror smashwho also killed Princess Diana and her partner Dodi Al-Fayedhas become the subject of much speculation in the years that have passed since.

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Who was Henri Paul?

Henri Paul was a French driver, born in July 1956.

After growing up in Lorient, on the west coast of FranceHenri joined the French Air Force.

He reached the rank of captain at the age of 29 and left the army shortly afterwards.

He later pursued a career in security, serving as head of security at the luxurious Hotel Ritz Paris.

Henri is said to have had a reputation as a “macho action man” who liked to be around celebrities and high-profile people as part of his role at the famous hotel.

A research on The death of Princess Diana learned that he had been privately treated for alcoholism, but his family denied that he had a drinking problem.

How did he come to be driving Princess Diana the night she died?

Henri answered Princess Diana and film producer Dodi from Le Bourget Airport outside Paris on the morning of August 31, 1997.

The married couple, whose romance had only become public weeks earlierReportedly was planning to stay at the Ritz because it belonged to Dodi’s father Mohammed Al-Fayed.

Mohammed 2023 died And was buried next to his son.

On the fateful day in 1997, Henri, who was reportedly assigned to drive the hired black Mercedes-Benz from 1994 To keep the princess out of the media spotlight, Diana took Diana on a shopping trip before ending his shift.

He later agreed to return to the hotel and drive Dodi and Diana the short distance from the hotel to Dodi’s apartment near the Arc de Triomphe.

He was said to be “overexcited” at the prospect of spending time with the princess.

There was a three hour period between the end of Henri’s shift and his return to the hotel where no one knows where he was.

Blood analysis results from his autopsy show he spent the time drinking, as he was found to be three times over the French drink-driving limit.

An autopsy also found traces of antidepressants and antipsychotic medications in his system.

Evidence from a Ritz bar bill shows he had two Ricards – a French anise spirit – while he waited Diana and Dodi to leave the hotel.

How did he behave leading up to the crash?

An investigation into Diana’s death in 2008 found that paparazzi photographers and Henri were responsible for her “unlawful killing”.

The inquest heard testimony from bar staff working at the Ritz on the fateful night with one, Alain Willaumez, who said Henri was “drunk” and had been “walking like a clown” hours before the crash.

CCTV footage from the Ritz shows no evidence of drunken behaviour.

Security footage revealed during the inquest shows him appearing to wave at photographers just before Diana and Dodi left the hotel.

The court was told that Paul had teased waiting photographers, saying: “You won’t be able to catch up.”

The trio and Diana’s bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jonesentered the Alma Tunnel of Paris the now infamous Mercedes minutes after leaving the Ritz, just before midnight.

The car was traveling at approximately double the speed limit of 30 km/h.

The accident occurred because Henri Paul was consuming alcohol and driving the vehicle. That’s why the accident happened.

Trevor Rees-Jones, Princess Diana’s former bodyguard

What did the police and the investigative jury believe about Henri Paul?

After 22 hours of deliberation, an inquest jury ruled that Diana had been unlawfully killed as a result of Henri’s drunk driving and photographers pursuing the vehicle.

Rees-Jones, the only survivor of the crashhas said he believes Henri’s drinking was the cause of the accident.

“The accident happened because Henri Paul was drinking alcohol and driving the vehicle. That’s why the accident happened,” he said in 2007.

What does the driver’s family think happened to him?

Henri’s father Jean told the story The mirror in 2017 that he believes Diana was deliberately murdered in a plot to prevent her from marrying a Muslim man.

He said his son was “collateral damage” in the schedule.

Despite a series of official investigations showing that Diana and Dodi died in a tragic accident, Jean insists they were victims of a settlement plot.

Jean also believes that samples showing that his son had alcohol in his system were tampered with after his death.

He said: “Diana was murdered and my son was murdered. I believe they were both murdered.

“My son was just collateral damage of a plot to kill Diana, and they killed him too.”

He added: “Even within Scotland Yard there are two sides… One believes there was a secret plot to kill Diana, the other believes it was a genuine accident.”