Elliott C. Back: Technology FTW!

Princess Diana Post-Crash Photo

Posted in News, Photo by Elliott Back on July 14th, 2006.

According to Forbes, an Italian magazine Chi just published photos of Princess Diana immediately before she died:

The black-and-white photo in Milan-based Chi magazine showed the princess receiving oxygen in the wreckage of the car crash that killed her on Aug. 31, 1997. The picture was excerpted from “Lady Diana: The Criminal Investigation,” a new book by French author Jean-Michel Caradec’h.

The photos have not been widely circulated, but have been in existance and available, albeit without so much publicity, for years:

diana-oxygen-photo.jpg

The royal family is of course upset at the publication and urges a global boycott, while Chi editor Umberto Brindani said “he had published the picture for the ‘very simple reason’ that it has never been seen before.”

Update: I’ve replaced the photo with a slightly better version, since people seen to still be interested in it.

Viewing 170 Comments

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    Informing the public my ass! More like filching as much publicity as they can...
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    Thanks for publishing this photo.

    Know what? It looks to me like she was very MUCH ALIVE during this photo! No trauma to her body or head, is visable. Why did she die? What did she die of? Why did it take over an hour to get her to the hospital...she does not look like she needs "stabilizing".

    There is something "hinky" about this whole story. This woman was murdered, and publishing the photos can only help to prove it.
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    Wow , That Jo-Jo is previous post must be a genius. I guess you can tell she has no internal injuries just by looking at that picture. I myself would not make any judgements on her condition just from that one picture, and not a very good picture at best. Just because there is no blood and gore does not mean you will not die.
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    Wow! Jo-Jo can tell that Diana was murdered from just that one picture? Is it clairvoyance, or is Jo-Jo really the greatest investigative mind of all time? (Sarcasm intentional.) I'm reminded of Sam Kinnison who died in a car accident. He had internal injuries, I believe an aortic dissection. He actually got out of the car after the accident and walked around for a moment or two, even spoke a bit, then collapsed and died. It happens.
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    Give me a break... How can you tell there is nothing wrong with her? Can you see inside her? Internal injuries aren't obvious. People like this drive me crazy.. Like the people who give my friend a hard time for using the handicap parking even though she has a handicap lic. plate.. They don't "see" anything wrong with her because she's in her 30's. Well guess what you can't see heart disease, you can't see lung disease and both effect people of all ages.
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    Supposedly she died from internal bleeding; a ruptured aorta was the main cause, if I remember correctly.
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    I think its vial that they have published the photo why the hell carnt people just leave her alone now nearly 9 years have past why carnt we just rember how much of a wonderful person and mother she was its not fair on her sons its terrible
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    I personally think that it is truly a reminder of how short life can be, and how tragedy can strike at anyone. I choose to remeber the vast accomplishments of Princess Di's throughout her extremely short life, and not the tragic ending of all the passengers' lives in the vehicle. One thing I did want to say was that it sickens me to hear that the publisher is defending his position, stating that he would like to solve this mystery. One, this photo basically proves only two things. The fact that Di was involved in the crash and that she did recieve medical attention. Clearly the publishing of this photo was for financial benefits and that is about it. I feel for the family and close friends of Di's and I believe she deserves the right to privacy, especially in those last horrific moments of her life.
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    I think the publication of a photo of any dying person is repulsive. In this case it seems all the more so since Diana died trying to protect her privacy. I can only speculate that this picture could have been taken by one of those people directly involve in the cause of the accident and is now profiting from it. Seems somewhat criminal doesn't it?
    The privacy and above all the dignity of a person's death should be protected at all costs not sold at the highest cost. It should not matter the stature of that persons life. Celebrate her life long accomplishments and show the respect she lavishly showed to all who's lives she touched.
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    I think the biggest lesson people overlook in diana's death is the fact that in this high speed wreck, the only survivor was the one wearing a seat belt.
    I meet many young people today who refuse to wear seat belts and even say they are unsafe because you could get trapped by them in an accident... really it is a responsibility if your going to drive a car, not only that you are buckled, but everyone in your car.
    That's my soapbox.
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    what is the use, seriously lets let her poor children remember their mom the way she was, if this was my mother, I would seriously freak out as well. Tasteless I must say this is one of the worst thing someone could have done.

    shame on you
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    What total hypocrisy. In order to have made comment, all those decrying the publication of the photos have clearly logged on to satisfy their own curiosity. There does not seem to be the same outcry regarding the daily publication and broadcast of non famous individuals dying, for instance pictures on the uk news of one poor chap receiving cpr as he was being wheeled into hospital following the 7/7 London bombings.
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    I think the publication of this picture is really REALLY sick! I'm African and we all remember Di for the great work she did advocating de-mining especially Angola and mozambique. That she died protecting her privacy is testimony to the lengths that 'freedom of the press' will drive some people to make dime! To the publishers, please let Di's soul rest in peace and her memory in our hearts
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    Absolutly horrible to put a family through this. It amazes me how someone has the right to print anything that can be so damaging not only to her family but to the many people that fell in love with her and felt her touch over the years of helping others.

    Looking at the picture my first thought was how beautiful, calm and full of grace she still looked in a time that must have been absolutely horrifying to her. No one wants to leave their children so early in life and I'm sure that was consuming her thoughts...or maybe get that flippin camera away from my car!!!

    To look maybe * I don't want to say positive side* but for the boys it is nice to see that she looked so calm and beautiful in her last moments. I would have been sick to my stomach if it looked any different.

    To the family and boys, my heart and thoughts go out to you ,she will never be forgotten, She was a beautiful lady inside and out. No matter what the press ever wants to print about her,,,

    ALT CANADA
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    Here here Eleanor! I have looked to satisfy my own curiosity, I guess cause she was so popular and it was such a tragedy that we can't let it go, plus with so many rumors about what really happened people want to see for themselves to try and understand it all better. It will be one of those things that we will never know the full truth. R.I P Diana
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    She does look like a princess asleep. I don't know what the big deal is about publishing this photo of her. Of course she would of had horrific internal injuries. Remember she wasn't wearing a seat belt. It's hard to believe that her face looks beautiful as ever and not bloodied.
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    I think it is said that so many people are responding to this photo.. yes, I am guilty of this same thing. I think that people are forgetting that Princess Diana was a mother above all else. It is to bad that her kids have to endure this pain again because some jerk decided to print this photo. It has been almost 10 years since her tragic death and no matter what she died of it is said and my deepest sympathy goes out to Princess Diana's family.. AGAIN!!
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    yes, I too have now satisfied my own curiosity

    The sleeping princess, mortally wounded, all for the want of a seat belt

    Rightly or wrongly, offensive or no, my belief is that so long as there is a drop of Diana's blood in the royal line to the throne, the circumstances of her life and death will continue to be fodder for the public, and anyone who has a different 'take' on the situation, will be able to profit from the love and interest and the voyeurism of the public at large.

    All for the want of a seat belt.....
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    I didn't care about it till they said it was printed 'n then it's just a curiosity to see it...just like everyone who got to this page did.
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    We will never really know why.We will only be left to wonder what, if anything, could have been done to prevent the untimely death of this amazing woman.This photo is only a glimpse into the moment leading up to her tragic passing.I,for one,choose to remember the Diana we all knew and admired,the compassionate humanitarian.An extrordinarily beautiful ,loving mother of two very special boys who grew into exceptional young men whom she would be most proud of.In this photo she indeed looks like a Princess asleep. Diana left this world a much better place for her having been in it.I can only imagine how much better it would have been if she had lived.God rest her soul .
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    When I first read about the photo being published, I must admit, the guilt I felt for wanting to actually SEE the picture was drenched with curiousity.

    The photo wasn't as grotesque as I thought it would be. I'm not saying that I wanted to see her battered and broken. NEVER! But, because of all of the hoopla, I thought I was going to see an image that was far worse than the actual depiction. (Come now, I'm sure the rest of you voyers out there thought the same thing).

    Some of you may have been a little dissapointed that the photo lacked the carnage they thought they would see. Others feel at ease that what they saw was (for lack of a better word) peaceful. I lean towards the latter.

    Whatever ones motive was for wanting to see the photograph is irrelevant. We did, however, share the same goal... to feed our curious mind.

    Not only is my conscience thankful that the last image I will carry of Diana forever in my mind is a pleasant one, but my memory of her is quite grateful, as well.

    Then again... what do I know?

    lp
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    The media shows dead and dying people all the time. Why all the outrage over this photo? A person is a person and just because Diana lived a privileged life does not mean that she deserves any more respect in her final moments than anyone else.
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    Um, what's up with them describing these pictures as "sick, gruesome and graphic?" They're black and white and you can only see her from the chin up with no visible trauma?

    Secondly, of all people, the British media has NO business saying what is acceptable or not. After all, THEY are the main group of people who harassed her and tracked her like dogs during her life.