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When King Charles defied his mother after Princess Diana’s death to do this
Princess Diana died in a car crash in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris, France, on August 31, 1997.
Princess Diana and King Charles were officially divorced in 1996. One year after, Princess Diana was killed in a car crash in Paris in August. But the-then Prince Charles remained adamant about accompanying his ex-wife’s body home to London, defying late monarch Queen Elizabeth who disagreed with his decision to fly to Paris. King Charles’ decision to accompany her body could have been influenced by the expectations of the public and the royal family to demonstrate a sense of unity and respect in the face of tragedy.
ABC News reported that Queen Elizabeth believed Princess Diana deserved no special treatment warning Charles that people wouldn’t stand for that. But the latter insisted that his former wife should be honored.
Charles flew to Paris with Diana’s sisters- Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes- to bring the Princess' body home. He was also instrumental in planning her funeral, the report claimed.
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Journalist Richard Kay discussed King Charles’ disagreement with the queen in the documentary “Diana: 7 Days That Shook the Windsors”, saying “This was a surprising and brave move. He was an ex-husband and had no right to be there other than as the father of her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. Charles wanted to take the royal flight to Paris, but the Queen wouldn’t allow it. Charles fought harder for Diana than he had ever fought for her in her lifetime.”
The plane used to bring Princess Diana’s body back to London from Paris was called No. 32 Squadron. Diana’s coffin was draped in the Royal Standard at the prince’s request and her body was taken to a private mortuary after which it was moved to St James’s Palace, then Kensington Palace.
Princess Diana died in a car crash in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris, France, on August 31, 1997. Diana is buried on the grounds of Althorp Estate, her family’s ancestral home.
