On 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales was killed in a car crash in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris. She was travelling in the back seat of a Mercedes-Benz W140 with her partner Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul. None of the car’s occupants were wearing seatbelts. The crash happened after the car was pursued by paparazzi on motorcycles. Investigations later determined that driver Henri Paul was intoxicated and driving over the speed limit. The Mercedes collided with the tunnel’s 13th pillar, causing fatal injuries to Diana, Fayed and Paul.
Diana’s death shocked the world and led to an unprecedented outpouring of public mourning. As Princess of Wales, Diana had been enormously popular worldwide for her beauty, humanity and charitable work. The circumstances surrounding her death also intensified public hostility towards the aggressive tactics sometimes used by celebrity photographers.
The question “What if Diana had worn her seatbelt?” is intriguing because it leads us to imagine how history might have been altered if a single factor had been different that night. Though seatbelts cannot prevent all fatalities in high-speed crashes, they dramatically improve the chances of surviving an accident. It’s possible Diana’s life could have been spared if she had taken the simple precaution of buckling up.
Would Diana have survived the crash if she wore a seatbelt?
According to crash investigators, Diana likely would have survived the collision if she had been wearing a seatbelt. The Mercedes collided with the pillar at an estimated speed of 65-75 mph. While the front of the car absorbed much of the impact, the crash forces were still severe enough to cause fatal injuries to the unbelted occupants in the back.
With a seatbelt on, Diana would have been securely fastened to her seat during the collision. The seatbelt would have spread the crash forces over the stronger parts of her body, protecting her head and vital organs from impact. Though she may have suffered some injuries like broken bones or a concussion, the seatbelt could have saved Diana from the devastating head and chest trauma that she sustained.
Experts estimate that wearing a seatbelt reduces the risk of fatality in a crash by 45-60%. So if Diana had taken just a few seconds to buckle up, the odds are good that she would have walked away alive.
Seatbelt laws in France
At the time of the crash in 1997, France had seatbelt laws requiring front seat occupants to wear seatbelts. Backseat passengers were not legally mandated to buckle up. Diana, like many backseat passengers, was not in the habit of wearing a seatbelt when travelling in the rear.
If she had been in the front passenger seat on the night of the accident, Diana would have been required by law to use the seatbelt. And if she had complied with the law, her chances of survival would have been much higher. France later amended its seatbelt laws in 2015 to require backseat passengers to wear seatbelts as well.
How could history have been altered if Diana survived?
Diana’s philanthropic work and impact on causes like landmine clearance
If Diana had survived the fatal crash, she would likely have continued her charitable work and activism over the past 25+ years. As Princess of Wales, Diana was a dedicated philanthropist and was involved with over 100 charities. She did groundbreaking work to destigmatize AIDS/HIV and bring awareness to the disease. Diana also advocated for the homeless, children, and other disadvantaged groups.
One cause that was especially close to Diana’s heart was the eradication of landmines. In January 1997, Diana made headlines when she walked through an active landmine field in Angola to promote the issue. Her high-profile advocacy brought international attention to the landmine crisis and led to significant funding for landmine clearance efforts. After her death, the international community continued Diana’s work and pursued a treaty banning landmines which was signed in 1997 and enacted in 1999.
If Diana had lived, she would have remained a powerful voice against landmines and helped keep the world’s focus on the issue over the past few decades. She may have expanded her advocacy work to bring attention to related causes like rehabilitating landmine victims or supporting developing countries with mine removal funding and resources.
Her sons William and Harry
Diana’s sudden death in 1997 was a traumatic loss for her sons William and Harry, who were just 15 and 12 at the time. The princes walked behind their mother’s coffin at her funeral in front of hundreds of millions watching worldwide. Diana was a loving, hands-on mother who tried to provide her sons with as normal an upbringing as possible.
If Diana had survived the fatal crash, she would have been able to see her two boys grow into adulthood and been a part of their lives as they started families of their own. As a mother herself, Diana may have offered guidance and support to Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle as her sons’ partners adjusted to royal life. She also could have played an active role as a grandmother to Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, and Archie.
William and Harry have coped admirably with the pain of their mother’s death. But it’s possible that having Diana’s nurturing presence throughout their adult years could have made a difference in their lives. Both princes might have processed their grief differently. And Diana could potentially have used her influence to help mend the reported rift between William and Harry that emerged in recent years.
Effect on the Royal Family
As the mother of the second in line to the throne, Diana would have remained a prominent figure in the royal family had she lived. Her role and influence within the monarchy could have shaped the institution in important ways over the past 25 years.
Diana had a rocky relationship with the royals during her marriage to Prince Charles, felt stifled by royal protocol, and was critical of how she was treated. A surviving Diana may have pushed for modernizing reforms and changes to traditional norms like dismantling primogeniture (male preference in the line of succession). She might have gotten involved in planning for Charles’ reign and helped prepare William for future kingship.
The royal family received intense backlash after Diana’s death, criticized for their lack of compassion for her sons and their failure to connect with public sentiment. If Diana had lived, some of this hostility toward the monarchy in the aftermath of her death may have been averted. Overall, Diana’s survival could have led to a gradual liberalizing of the traditional institution as she continued as a high-profile royal figure.
Conclusion
Though no one can change the tragic events of the past, considering alternative histories like “What if Diana survived?” allows us to reflect on the significant impact one life can have. As a singularly famous and admired figure on the global stage, Diana’s presence over the past 25 years could have shaped things differently for many – from her beloved sons to the evolution of the British monarchy.
While her early death was heartbreaking, Diana’s legacy of compassion and humanitarianism continues to inspire. We can keep her memory alive by emulating her empathy and commitment to serving others.