Princess Diana Extended Paris Trip Because Of Tory Landmine Backlash

PRINCESS Diana was due to be back in the UK on the night she died in Paris, her former driver claims.

Princess Diana was due to be back in the UK on the night she died in Paris, her former driver claims. Colin Tebbutt, Diana’s former minder and driver, alleges that she delayed her return to London at the end of August in 1997 because of backlash about her call to ban landmines.

Diana, who was 36 when she died, had started campaigning for landmines to be outlawed just months before, however, she was met with anger by some Tory MPs who had called her a “loose cannon”.

The Princess had recorded an interview with Le Monde in August 1997 focusing on the war weapon, in which she appeared to criticise John Major’s government and expressed that she had hope that the situation would get better now that Tony Blair was in power.

Tebbutt told the Daily Mail: “She didn’t come back on the Thursday as scheduled because the Tories were having a go at her again over landmines. She was accused of using the campaign to boost her own image, which was nasty and upset her.

“So she contacted us and said she didn’t want all the hassle that would be waiting for her in the UK. She would return at the weekend instead.

“If she had come back that Thursday… maybe we’d all be alive still today.”

Diana had been holidaying in France with her new boyfriend, Dodi Fayed, who was the son of Harrods owner, Mohammed al Fayed. Dodi, along with the driver Henri Paul, was also killed in the tragic crash.

According to Tebbutt, he had been preparing to pick Diana up on August 28, however, she rearranged her plans.

Tebbutt said he had been preparing to pick up the princess on 28 August but she rearranged her plans.

An inquest into the late Princess’ death in 2008 claimed that she had been unlawfully killed due to the “grossly negligent driving of the following vehicles [the paparazzi] and of the Mercedes driver Henri Paul”.

Her sons, William and Harry agreed with the verdict.

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