The final words of Princess Diana have been revealed by firefighter Xavier Gourmelon, who was one of the first responders to the fatal crash. Her last words were “My God, what’s happened?” before she went into cardiac arrest.
The tragic death of Princess Diana on August 31, 1997, continues to be one of the most heartbreaking moments in modern history. Now, 28 years later, new details have emerged about her final moments, as revealed by the firefighter who held her hand after the fatal car crash in Paris.
Princess Diana, 36, and her companion Dodi Fayed were attempting to evade the relentless paparazzi when their car crashed at high speed in the Pont de l’Alma underpass. The crash, caused by the loss of control of their vehicle, killed Diana, Dodi, and their chauffeur Henri Paul, while Dodi’s bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones was the only survivor.
Among the first emergency responders to arrive at the scene was firefighter Xavier Gourmelon. Initially, he did not recognize the blonde woman in the backseat, but he later realized it was Princess Diana. Gourmelon recalled that Diana was conscious when he approached, and he reassured her while she was trapped in the wreckage.
As Gourmelon held her hand and provided comfort, Diana’s final words would be forever etched in his memory. According to the firefighter, Diana asked, “My God, what’s happened?” just moments before she went into cardiac arrest.
A Heart-Stopping Moment for the Responder
Gourmelon, who was working as a first responder that night, described his efforts to revive Diana. “I massaged her heart, and a few seconds later she started breathing again,” he told The Sun. “It was a relief of course because, as a first responder, you want to save lives — and that’s what I thought I had done.”
However, despite his efforts, Diana’s condition deteriorated, and she was later pronounced dead at Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital in Paris. Gourmelon revealed that he had no idea initially that the woman he was attempting to save was Princess Diana. It wasn’t until she was placed in the ambulance that a paramedic informed him of her identity.
“I thought she would survive,” Gourmelon confessed. “As far as I knew, when she was in the ambulance, she was alive, and I expected her to live. But I found out later that she had died in the hospital. It was very upsetting. I know now that there were serious internal injuries, but the whole episode is still very much in my mind.”
The Legacy of Diana’s Death
Princess Diana’s death stunned the world. Millions of people mourned her passing, with tens of thousands flocking to Kensington Palace to pay their respects. Her funeral, broadcast live, was watched by an estimated 2.5 billion people around the globe.
The tragic crash that claimed Diana’s life continues to be a painful chapter in royal history, and the revelation of her last words provides a poignant reminder of the life she lived, the impact she had, and the heartache her loss caused.
