Princess Diana was constantly pursued by photographers and the press, who invaded her privacy at all times including when she went on holiday. Many photographers felt she was a public figure and did not deserve privacy. Diana complained to regulators about intrusive photos but the press continued following her everywhere. On August 31st, 1997, Diana died in a car crash in Paris along with Dodi Fayed and the driver. There are still conspiracy theories around her death and whether the crash was truly an accident or orchestrated. Her death led to a major discussion around privacy laws and the boundaries of press freedom in the UK.

1. Princess Diana and The Press
A2 Media Studies
Eman Shah

2. The role of the press
Princess Diana was under continuous media intrusion into her
private life, when se confronted the press in a vain plea for privacy
for herself and her two sons. The press followed her everywhere
and took photographs of her for example when she went to France
on a holiday with Dodi. Many freelance photographers refused to
give her privacy, saying that she was a fair target, because she is
not the only public figure, but also the mother of the next king. It
was said that she had meetings with favoured journalists, which
gave room for accusations of manipulating the media for her own
purpose. In July 1996, Princess Diana complained to the Press
Complaints Commission about intrusive photographs of her in
France which were published in the Daily Mirror. She also obtained
an injunction against a photographer, who harassed her in August
1996.

3. The Death
On 31st August 1997, Princess Diana died because of injuries sustained in a
car crash in Paris. Dodi Fayed and the driver were also pronounced dead at
the scene.
There are many conspiracy theories about Princess Diana’s death. Till this
day it is still not clear what exactly happened.
Here are some theories:
- The blame was pinned on the paparazzi by the media, but is has been
proven that the crash was caused by the actions of the Chauffeur, who
was head of security. Apparently he was drunk and under the effect of
pills while driving at high speed.
- The crash was orchestrated by M16 of the instructions of the Royal
Family.
- In 2003, a letter which was published by the daily mail, from Princess
Diana. Ten months before her death she wrote about a possible plot to
kill her by tampering with the brakes of her car.

4. The effects on Princess Diana’s death
on the Press
Princess Diana was the subject
of more newspaper coverage
than the most dramatic events
of the World War 2 and set a
media record. Her tragic death
in a car crash in Paris and the
presence of paparazzi’s at the
accident site raised concerns
about privacy laws and press
freedom in the UK.