Death of Princess Diana Conspiracy Theories

Claim: Princess Diana's death in a 1997 Paris car crash was not an accident but an assassination ordered by the British Royal Family (often specifically Prince Philip) or intelligence services (MI6), to prevent her marrying her partner Dodi Fayed, a Muslim, or because she "knew too much."

Origins: Fueled by Dodi's father, Mohamed Al-Fayed, who publicly and persistently promoted the assassination claim for over a decade; distrust of official explanations was heightened by conflicting early reports and the driver's intoxication being downplayed in initial coverage.

Why it's false: A three-year French judicial investigation (1999) and a British police investigation (Operation Paget, 2004–2006, over 6,000 pages) both concluded the crash was caused by the driver, Henri Paul, driving at excessive speed while intoxicated, compounded by paparazzi pursuit and the passengers not wearing seatbelts. No forensic evidence of foul play, sabotage, or a "second vehicle" was substantiated after two thorough, independent inquests.

Status: Rejected by both British and French official investigations; Al-Fayed's claims were formally dismissed by a 2008 inquest jury, which returned a verdict of "unlawful killing" due to reckless driving — not assassination.