headlines. >> it is that diana years! >> but is the netflix portrait the true portrait? >> some of this has been fictionalized. this is not a documentary. there is many people involved in royal life involved that think it is far too far from the truth. >> now, the riveting real story. >> she stood up to this huge institution of the british monarchy. >> she often talked about dark forces. >> there were allegations of conspiracy to murder. >> what did you see as you entered the tunnel? >> prince harry was going to make sure that history was not repeated, basically saying, "back off, you're hounding her like you hounded my mother." >> she was betrayed by so many people. we only know half the story. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> it was getting late in the city of lights, that last saturday in august, 1997. but sidewalks cafes in paris were still bustling. the mulan rouge was aglow. riverboats along the seine were teeming with for us, and the paparazzi was out in full force because a special visitor was in town, in fact, the most famous women in the world, princess diana. for years, cameras had tailed her like sharks follow blood. and now, on this late august night, the hunt was still on, as diana and her new lover, dodi al fayed sped away from the paparazzi, who were in hot pursuit. suddenly, the driver made an unexpected turn, into that tunnel, the pont de l'alma tunnel. >> breaking news coverage. [inaudible] >> pursued by paparazzi. >> indeed, princess diana has died tonight. >> it has been more than two decades since that fateful night, yet princess diana remains as famous in death as she was in life. and when the netflix series the crown turned its focus on britain's beloved royal, she was squarely on peoples minds once more. >> it doesn't necessarily have a fairy tale ending. >> she tends to agree with that. >> certainly, the crown makes good television. a wrenching portrait of a tortured marriage. a woman overwhelmed by the royal machine. but how much of it is true? we tell the real story, going behind the palace gates to reveal that behind every iconic image of diana, there is a story. often, a secret. >> diana and dodi didn't have this full fledged romance that people think. definitely not. >> secrets she shared only with a select few. >> i had to protect her. our relationship was a private one, it was a secret one. >> she was beautiful, magnetic, but also misunderstood. >> diana was not paranoid, she was not damaged goods. she was very unhappy with the state of her marriage. >> even now, questions still swirl with her marriage, her battles with the monarchy, her secret love affairs, and what really caused that horrible crash in paris. >> we have to look at whether there was a real reason by someone who wanted to murder princess diana that night. >> over the next two hours, we will hear from close friends, confidants, insiders, people who worked for her and reported on her, who offer intriguing insights about the woman who will always be remembered as the people's princess. ♪ ♪ ♪ diana frances spencer was born into aristocracy in 1971. the daughter of an earl, she was raised at his country estate, called althorp. we got a look at side diana's stunning childhood home. her brother charles and his wife gave nbc's cynthia mcfadden a tour. >> this is a room i would sit with diana tap dancing as a teenager. as a teenager, she was endless tap dancing. that's might main connection to this house. >> inside the grand house, it was not always warm and friendly. the parents divorced, and her mother lost custody of the children. but the father remarried a woman called raine spencer. diana and her brother called her acid rain, and they kept her at arm's length in one of the estate's smallest rooms. >> we were up in the attic, and for a house like this, i'd say very, very modest rooms. but that's the way it was. >> diana's unhappy childhood would later manifest itself in a big way. >> she was very, very needy. >> penny junor has written extensively about the royals including books on both prince charles and diana. >> she was constantly looking for love. the love that she felt that she had never had from her mother. and that actually tainted her entire life. >> during her team years, diana started to blossom. james colthurst, who was a dateline consultant, made her on a ski trip and snapped these rare shots. >> she blended in with the group, she had a great sense of humor. she was amazing, she got a great plenty of attention. >> the first time diana met charles was in the late 1970s at althorp. diana was 16 at the time. the future king was actually dating her sister. charles had come to althorp for a day of shooting. and diana was a spectator. sparks did not fly. at age 17, diana moved to london and later worked at a nursery school. not exactly glamorous, but few know that the world's most eligible bachelor was on a mission, not entirely of his own choosing. >> it was time, he was under pressure. >> richard kay is the editor at large for the london daily mail. he later became close friends with diana, and also covered prince charles. >> he felt pressure from his family, pressure from his friends, pressure from himself. he knew his duty was to have a son, to secure the house of windsor. that was his job. so he had to find someone with whom he could have a family. >> somebody like lady diana spencer. >> and at that time, it was absolutely imperative for the heir of the throne to marry an aristocrat who was not a roman catholic and who was a virgin. she was on paper absolutely 100% perfect. >> so perfect that behind the scenes, charles and diana's grandmothers were helping move things along. >> diana's grandmother was the queen mother's best friend. so the stars were aligned. diana was almost plucked and chosen for charles. >> the two began dating in that royal kind of way. >> when she referred to him she had to call him sir. it was a really different kind of dating that anyone else would do. >> the british press was eager to discover just who prince charles might marry. and here is the best first public photo of diana back then. she was just 19. there is an intriguing story behind that historic shot from arthur edwards, the newspaper photographer who snapped it. we found edwards in london, and he still remembers that day back in 1980 when he got a tip from someone attending charles'polo match who told him -- >> he's here today with a lady called lady diana frances spencer. and i found her. and she was wearing a big necklace. and i said can i take your photo? and she posed that for me. >> this casual photo was what introduced diana frances spencer to the world. there would be more pictures to come, of course. and diana's life would never be the same. coming up. >> [inaudible] >> of course. >> really in love. >> engagement, or arrangement. >> he appeared to have someone else he was interested in. >> the romance that captivated everyone, except for the couple at the center. >> diana flew into a complete rage. she said i cannot go through with this. >> when dateline continues. 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[coughs] when caroline has a cough, she takes robitussin. so, she can have those one on ones again. hey jim! can we talk about casual fridays? oh sure. what's up? get fast, powerful cough relief with robitussin, and find your voice. ♪robitussin♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> charles and diana's courtship went by in a flash. overnight, it seemed they were engaged. the world met the couple for the first time at a photo op. it was memorable. >> just delighted and happy. i'm amazed that she's been brave enough to take me on. >> and i suppose, in love? >> of course. >> whatever in love means. >> the real story behind that rather awkward interview actually goes much deeper. charles was hesitant to propose to diana, so much so that is father, prince philip, sent him a letter. >> philip was saying to him, look, you've been seeing this girl, you can't leader of the garden path, so to speak. either marry her, or let her go. otherwise, she's gonna be a very damaged young woman. >> charles, under pressure to fulfill his royal duties, and diana, just 19 years old, decide to plunge into what was essentially an arranged marriage. >> she was very much in love with him. and he was not yet in love with her. he was pressured into asking diana to marry him before he was ready. >> charles was almost 30 years older than diana, more worldly, more educated. even so, the two told the media they were a perfect match. >> -- >> sense of humor. every outdoor activity -- >> we never did that. >> lots of things, really. >> but in reality, diana and charles didn't seem to have much in common. >> she didn't like horses and dogs. she hated all these kind of sporting activities he went in for. and she was a young, 19, 20 year old who was into romantic fiction and shopping and lunching and mucking about with her mates. >> and right away, diana heard someone who is important to charles, it's a person from his past. >> there was another woman in this dynamic, camilla parker bowles. >> parker bowles was a confident of prince charles's and a lover of his, long before he met diana. but she and charles remained good friends. >> there was the sense, i think, from almost the beginning that charles wasn't entirely diana's own. >> camilla khamenei was nbc news is royals expert. >> prince charles insisted his relationship with camilla was platonic, but diana quickly realize that mentally charles wasn't with her one hunted percent. >> most people have long believed that camilla parker bowles was the villain in the story. but camilla, early on, actually supported diana and advised her about charles and royal life. >> she, like diana, thought she would be a lovely life for him. so she was fairly friendly to her, and diana was friendly to camilla. >> but diana, just 19, was insecure, said her friend, richard kay. >> she was a naive young girl. charles was her first proper man in her life. but he appeared to have someone else he was interested in, as well. it would've made anyone question themselves. she was beautiful, gorgeous, fantastic to have on your arm. but maybe, she struggled to have a rigorous conversation with him. >> so, diana was giving charles more the beauty, and camilla was giving him or the brains. >> i think that's it. >> then, just weeks before the wedding, diana's concerns about camilla suddenly exploded in an incident that wasn't reported at the time. >> she came across the present between charles and camilla. >> what was it? >> it was a bracelet. >> inscription? >> it had the letter g and the letter f on it. gee was the name gladys, which was the nickname that charles had for camilla. >> the letter f stood for fred, which was camilla's pet name for charles. >> diana flew into a complete rage and stormed out of the room. diana got it into her head that camilla and charles never stopped having an affair, and she became absolutely obsessed with camilla. charles realized during the engagement there was something really badly wrong, and he didn't have the courage to call a halt to it. >> thrust into the royal spotlight and now concerned about camilla, the pressure on diana, according to author penny junor, was beginning to take its toll. >> diana changed overnight, having been this sunny, smiley, happy-go-lucky girl, she turned into this dark, at times, girl who went into rages, absolute rages, temper tantrums, tears, jealousies, kicking furnitures, and he just didn't know how to cope. >> by now, the wedding was just weeks away. >> at every term, she was a trap in a different way. >> sarah ellison of the washington post has written extensively about princess diana relationships. >> diana later said that she wanted to get out of getting married to charles. >> no one has ever called off a royal wedding. they were never not going to be married. >> lady diana is regarded here as just about the perfect prize. >> diana had lunch with her sisters, and she said, you know, i can't go through this. i want out, i can't do this. and her sisters jokingly said too late, your faces on the tea towels. and of course, that was the problem, it was too late. >> more than 60 bbc television cameras will produce pictures for a worldwide audience of about 700 million. >> the royal wedding when indeed go on, whether the bride and groom wanted it or not. >> coming up, a surprise at the ceremony. >> diana managed to spot camilla parker bowles. >> and a few more on the honeymoon. >> charles opened his diary, and there is a photograph of camilla in it. i mean, how stupid is that? >> when dateline continues. ♪ ♪ ♪ i'm sholeh, and i lost 75 pounds with golo. i went from a size 20 to a size 6. before golo, nothing seemed to work. i was exercising for over an hour every day. it was really discouraging. but golo's so easy, the weight just falls off. you want to be able to provide your child with the tools or resources they need. with reliable internet at home, through the internet essentials program, the world opened up. fellas, fellas. that's how my son was able to find the hidden genius project. we wanted to give y'all the necessary skills to compete with the future. kevin's now part of this next generation of young people who feel they can thrive. ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> the british royal family celebrates the wedding of the prince's wife. >> summer 1981, lady diana spencer was about to become princess diana in one of the most eagerly anticipated weddings in the world. >> good evening from london, where we have come to cover the royal wedding. >> charles, prince of wales, takes the lovely lady diana spencer as his bride. >> the royal wedding was fantastic. it was british pomp and pageantry at its best. a lot of people could see the carriage procession in a glass coat, something like cinderella. >> i was nine years old. i set my alarm for 4, got up to watch the wedding. i was one of 750 million people watching that wedding. >> yeah, it was like a fairytale. and diana saw fulfilled all our childhood notions of what a fairytale princess should look like. >> but there is something else going on at the wedding, a story that no one knew. see the crowd in the church? diana just happened to spot one particular face. >> diana managed to spot camilla parker bowles, and she saw her as she was going up the aisle. >> did she ever talk to you about that moment? >> she just said i knew from that moment that this woman was never going to go away. >> so long as you both shall live -- >> i will. >> i will. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> but the show went on in front of hundreds of millions around the world. >> now, prince and princess of wales, possibly the future king and queen of england. >> before leaving on their honeymoon, charles and diana gave everyone another picture perfect moment. >> the photographers, who are sort of in a pit below the palace, shouting out to them, kiss her, kiss her, sir, kiss her, and the crowd picked up on this, kiss, kiss! and diana said, you know, why not? it was an electrifying moment. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> the royal newlyweds set off on a romantic cruise. but in the honeymoon suite, it wasn't smooth sailing. >> charles opened his diary, and there was a photograph of camilla in it. i mean, how stupid is that? he wore some cuff links that had seals entwined on them that camilla had given him. again, how stupid? >> for diana, it went from bad to boring. >> he read books. she wanted to lie on the sunday act with him, canoodling with him, drink lovely cocktails with him. i know she didn't want him to be buried in a book. but that was his idea of a lovely holiday. >> -- of this place? >> [inaudible] >> back from their cruise, the newlyweds once again put on a happy face. >> how are you enjoying your time? >> -- >> but behind the photo ops, a very different story was playing out. >> their interests simply did not coincide. but they didn't know this until it was too late. >> a may have been a marital mismatch, but the adoring public couldn't get enough. >> diana was immediately embraced as the new princess. >> people, i think, began to realize this was a very spirited young woman. he was going to be somebody, and she was going to make the monarchy something very interesting. >> diana's star became a super nova, they called it diana mania. >> she is turning out to be one of the most popular and the most sought after members of the royal family. >> diana found herself a superstar absolutely overnight. >> it was very easy to see that she's very different from other members of the royal family. almost immediately, the media started to photograph her, let alone, talk to her. >> photographer jane fincher covered diana from the beginning. >> she is so much more casual and informal and, dare i say it, human. she was frightened to show she was human, and that was evident straight away. she felt very quickly that she was somebody could relate to, that you knew, -- , really. >> diana was a natural in the spotlight, and she did it in style. >> we get all these pieces out. >> bruce oldfield was one of diana's fashion designers. >> this is the place where we made all the dresses for the princess back in the 80s. she say, oh, come down and have a look at all the fabrics. she was very game to do all that kind of stuff. she understood what a good dress could do. she knew that it had power, and she knew it would get on the front page. >> power, that enabled diana to change the culture. >> going up as a british girl in the 80s and 90s, everyone's mother was going and getting princess diana haircuts. i remember that my mother particularly sort of wearing suits, skirts, and jackets, emulating this very elegant look that diana used to trade. >> but soon, diana would feel the heat from life in the royal spotlight. >> she was otherworldly, she was a school girl, basically. i think was just way, way too much for her. >> and way too much for prince charles, would soon discover some troubling secrets about his new bride. ♪ ♪ ♪ coming up, from joy to despair. >> do you believe that that was a suicide attempt? >> it was an attention seek. >> then, a dangerous affair. >> her body guards arrived. charles knew about it. they were playing with fire. >> when dateline continues. ♪ ♪ ♪ [coughing] copd isn't pretty. i'm out of breath, and often out of the picture. but this is my story. 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>> it was completely filling the void. >> but even then, behind the scenes, there is conflict. diana's choice of causes wasn't always in sync with her powerful mother-in-law, the queen. >> she felt that the monarchy was sort of stuck in the past. and she, diana, was trying to change by doing things like aids and leprosy and diseases which were unfashionable. >> to a monarchy wrapped in tradition, diana may have been a rebel with too many causes. >> she felt that somehow the queen didn't appreciate what she was doing. she used to refer to her, only to me, as the top lady. she never called her the queen or her majesty. >> one day, the top lady and the princess had a conversation which diana shared with a head of security, ken wharfe. >> and she said i want to get involved in finding the cure for aids. she said the queen sort of pulled her head back and said, well, why don't you get involved in something nice? >> diana persisted, and her compassion quickly made her the most popular member of the royal family, casting a long shadow over her new husband. ken wharfe told us about a conversation in which she offered to accompany charles on one of his official visits. >> she said, do you want me to come with you? no, they will only be interested in you. >> charles had his nose put out of joint. he delivered his speech, and the next day, the papers were filled with what his wife was wearing, could she perhaps be pregnant, as she got a new hairstyle, nothing about the speech. >> charles resentment of diana 's star power was a source of friction in the marriage. with diana's soaring popularity came increased leverage as they struggle to cope with the constraints of the monarchy. >> diana's pioneering because she did break down these preconceived rules about protocol, proving she is one of us and not one of them. >> diana may have been carving out a new rule for her self, but there is still one traditional job that she absolutely had to do, produce an heir. >> i decree the prince of wales has given birth to a baby son. god save the queen! ♪ ♪ ♪ >> june, 1982, prince william was born. >> obviously, relieved and delighted. it's a grown-up thing, i think. >> and two years later, a little brother. >> his name is henry charles albert david, but they're gonna call him harry. >> once again, to outward appearances, they seemed the perfect family. what if you knew at the time was that the marriage was fracturing, and diana, at least to charles, seemed unstable. in fact, when she was pregnant with harry, diane threw herself down a flight of stairs. >> do you believe that that was a suicide attempt? what was that? >> i think she might have been dispirited at the time. she might have just tripped. that was an attention seek. i certainly don't see it as a suicide attempt. >> whatever it was, the palace never went public with it. same with an issue with diana's past that and now resurfaced, bulimia. >> the bulimia, i believe, was a consequence of the royal life and not be enough to cope with it. >> did she talk to you about the bulimia? >> she did, she said it was our fault. she would gorge on ice cream, bowls of breakfast cereal, with lots of cream and milk, and then intentionally go and throw up. >> diana's struggles with bulimia was a tremendous strain on the royal couple. >> charles didn't know how on earth to cope with it. charles organized further to see a psychiatrist, and she said she was better, she didn't need it anymore. charles was sympathetic to start with. but when he met these tantrums day after day after day, he became immune to it. and it was a real vicious circle. she was craving love and attention, but by her behavior, was pushing him away. >> two years after prince harry was born, diana began taking writing lessons from british cavalry officer named james hewitt. this photo of them later became notorious when he would reveal him and diana had an affair. >> in my mind, it was not her intention to fall in love with me. and it was certainly not my intention to fall in love with diana. >> do you think james hewitt was kind of everything that charles wasn't, like, an escape for her? >> i think, absolutely he was an escape for her. but also, he didn't judge her. he didn't have any kind of expectation for her. >> the affair with hewitt carried real risks for a diana, risks peculiar to a princess. >> it is treasonable for the wife of the heir to the throne to have an affair with someone. it's on par with being accused of being a traitor. they were playing with fire. the bodyguards knew about it. >> to trials know about it? >> yeah, charles knew about it. >> but perhaps he was inclined to look the other way, and towards diana's old nemesis, camilla parker bowles. >> camilla pretty much was a constant feature of charles's life. >> how did diane really feel about camilla? >> well, she called her a rottweiler for a start, which isn't, you know, gives her an idea of what she thinks of her, given that our rottweiler is one those dogs that holds on to something and never let's go. >> the once fairytale royal marriage was now on the rocks, and later, diana would share all her dark secrets outside the palace gates in a way no one ever saw coming. coming up -- >> there were people who were listening and watching and keeping tabs on her. >> spies at the palace, diane launches the plot of her own, when dateline continues. ♪ ♪ ♪ new emergen-c crystals pop and fizz when you throw them back. and who doesn't love a good throwback? 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[music playing] [coughs] when caroline has a cough, she takes robitussin. so, she can have those one on ones again. hey jim! can we talk about casual fridays? oh sure. what's up? get fast, powerful cough relief with robitussin, and find your voice. ♪robitussin♪ >> spring. and find your voice. spring 1987, an indelible image 1987. an indelible image appeared of diana at a london hospital. a simple handshake that would never be forgotten. it was during the height of the aids epidemic. >> it had been mislabeled as a gay disease. it had been misunderstood as something that could be caught by shaking hands, kissing, hugging. >> that day. diana helped change the world's thinking. >> she knew she would guarantee to get it on the front page to say i'm not worried about my own personal safety. so why should you be. was really a seminal moment. >> but privately, diana was waging another battle. this one on of the home front. trying to cope with her troubled marriage. >> diana was pushing charles away. charles was getting more and more profoundly depressed. he didn't confide in anyone. but there were one or two people who had remained in hers circle. so they went to camilla and they said, listen, we think charles needs you. and she gave him a ring. and the friendship reignited. >> that phone call also reignited their romance which was not exactly a secret. >> london newspapers this morning, continue to speculate about charles friendship with a longtime lady friend. >> but reporters were not privy to a deeper issue boiling beneath the surface. diana was not just worried about losing her husband, she had far bigger concerns about camilla entering the picture. >> the big fear was, this is not a substitute mom for the boys. that they were trying to sideline diana, and camilla might use her post. >> that was a fear of diana's? >> a big fear. big fear. >> diana became convinced that the palace was quietly plotting to move her aside. because she was not fit to raise the young princess. she believed she was being watched, and her phones tapped. >> who was keeping tabs on diana? >> i think the government was just watching her for own safety. but i do think that when things became so contentious between her and charles. there were people who are listening, and watching, and keeping tabs on her. >> diana called them the gray men. some people openly questioned whether she was imagining them. >> i do not think there were all imagined. i think there was a group that thought that they were doing the right thing, and maybe convincedthemselves that she wasn't suitable for the role. and tried to remove her. >> who are these people? >> i don't know. but she was had a very strong sense that there was a group. not exactly was sanctioning by prince charles. but wishing to do him well. >> by now, rumors of diana's problems and instability was appearing in the press. diana wanted to set the record straight by telling her version of the story. in a way that she could control. and, without the palace finding out. she knew of an author named andrew morton. who had written a book on sarah ferguson, the duchess of york, and would also start went on diana. so a daring plan was launched. diane agreed to answer questions written by morton. >> it was her first excursion into confronting the demons inside of herself. so it was a cathartic experience for her. >> james would act as the go-between, taking morton's questions to diana and secretly recording her answers. >> they wanted to separate her from it. because blame is a big thing. she didn't want to be blamed for it. so fine, someone had to be a fall guy if it came out. >> that would be you? >> yes. yes. >> this could tarnish the monarchy? >> not doing it could have. because i think it would've been the uncontrolled release of anger. and i think that would've been much more serious. >> so james peddled holbert to the palace. and behind cold doors, tape rolled. diana let loose about everything, including her arranged marriage to charles. >> so he said, will you marry me? and i laughed. and i remember thinking, you know, this is, this is a joke. so i said, yeah okay. >> she even alleged her alleged suicide attempts and frequent bouts of bulimia. >> anything i could find, i would gobble up and be sick. >> -- delivered the tape to andrew morton. >> she deliberately brings out the despair that she felt, saying things like she was a sacrificial lamb before she married prince charles. >> it would be months before the world would finally hear diana's explosive story. but the fuse had been lit. coming up! a picture worth 1000 words. >> as he went to kiss her, she turned her head away. and ended up kissing her on the ear. and it was outrage. >> and diana fears for her safety. >> she often talked about dark forces. she was concerned, and worried about certain things. >> when dateline continues! 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[coughs] when caroline has a cough, she takes robitussin. so, she can have those one on ones again. hey jim! can we talk about casual fridays? oh sure. what's up? get fast, powerful cough relief with robitussin, and find your voice. ♪robitussin♪ blendjets legendary black friday sale is here, get our best deal ever on the game-changing blendjet 2 portable blender. its the perfect gift for everyone shopping list! even that picky relative who hates everything. and dont forget the accessories! theyre all on sale! dont wait! our most popular colors and patterns will sell out! go to blendjet.com and take advantage of our black friday sale now! >> it was just a simple it was just a simple snapshot, aa solitary diana sitting snapshot. a solitary diana, sitting in front of the taj mahal. there is a story behind this famous photo. and not so secret signal about the state of the royal marriage. it was february 1992. the royal couple was an india on a rare trip together. >> they were clearly unhappy in each other's company. >> diana's friend and journalist, richard kay, reported on the trip. >> diana famously went to the taj mahal. which is one of the most romantic buildings on the planet. and charles, who had said that one day he wanted to bring his wife to this place did not go. diana was there alone. >> you think she did that on purpose? >> she knew what she was doing. and that picture, i mean, it just said it all. it's one of the most significant photographs of the entire marriage. because it showed this picture of an unloved, beautiful, young woman. >> a lonely wife? >> a lonely wife. sitting in front of this monument to love. >> two days later, diana put an exclamation point on that picture. with yet another defining moment of what the media was calling, the war of the whales. it happened after charles polo matches. when diana presented him with the winning prize. >> as he went to kiss her, she turned her head away. and ended up kissing her on the air. and he had outrage. and it was a picture, but for the wrong reasons. she knew that impact that that picture was going to have. >> she was publicly documenting her kiss off to charles? >> she was. she was. >> soon after, the world got the real story behind the pictures. the whole, messy saga of charles and diana's 11 year marriage. in june of 1992, her explosive interviews were published in andrew morton's groundbreaking book. diana's public disclosure was a bombshell that blocked the monarchy. and remember, at the time, there was no internet. no social media. the main source of news came from newspapers. and here in london, where there are several dailies and tabloids, diana's troubled marriage made blurring headlines. >> diane [inaudible] >> she had suffered serious bouts of depression. >> she broke down in tears. >> slashed her wrists with razor blades. >> she hasn't come out of it very well i think. >> there had never been anything like it in the history of the monarchy. >> the royal family has always had the mantra, never explain, never complain. keep it zipped. she drove a course course and courses through that theory. wearing the hearts of firmly on your sleeve, you can see it beating. >> i think charles was flabbergasted when diana went public with all of this. and i think it was devastated. >> soon, letters were pouring into the palace. >> she had support, mainly from women, but masses of them. >> did it accomplish what she wanted? where she wouldn't be sidelined, she would protect her sons. >> i think history has shown that was absolutely was the case. she retained her two sons. and the role was certainly not reduced after that. >> but when it came to her marriage, diana's book lay haste on the inevitable. >> the prince and princess of wales have began closing the book on their fairytale romance. they are separating after 11 often stormy years of marriage. >> of course, it was only a formality. the two had already been living separate lives. then, diana decided to make another change. >> over the next few months, i will be seeking a more suitable way of combining a meaningful public role with hopefully, a more private life. >> the most popular women in the world was withdrawing from public life. diana went into semi seclusion, allowing her to spend more time with her sons, william and harry. as they recalled in a 2000 interview with nbc news. >> as children, we wanted to spend time with her. and the time was amazing. just a mother, as anyone would say about their own mother. just amazing. >> one of the memories we had was when we went to america, we went to disney world. >> but diana could not protect the young princess from all the fallout from the war of the wales. >> they were times when we had to shore up, and she was the best thing ever. >> it was conversation, she was under a lot of pressure. >> pressure that seems to increase after that separation from charles. diana security chief, ken wharf, says she expressed concern for her own safety. >> she often talked about dark forces, but i didn't quite know where these dark forces came from. and she had put on paper, in letters to people, that she was concerned and worried about certain things. >> he says that diana's fears also caused her to seek out a new circle of friends. >> diana was introduced to a set of, what i call, mistake menace people. the taro card readers, the modern-day crystal ball gazers. i said why are you wasting your money seeing these people? because they're not going to predict what is going to happen. >> one of diana's new friends around this time, was a self described healer name simone simmons. >> we were like best friends. she would read the ruin stones for me, and i would read the taro cards for her. so easily give each other readings. >> she soon became a constant in diana's life. >> we had phone calls. one was eight hours. i said, it's very funny that we get on so well together. and she said, i've never had friends like you before. >> simone says that diana also sent christmas cards, and left phone messages like this one. >> simone, it's diana. i'm on my way to tennis for one hour. i got so much to tell you. but i don't think -- anyway, i have this thing switch back at one. whatever, i'll catch you later. lots of love. bye. >> apparently, diana had a lot to say. and not just to her friend, simone. her retreat from public life was going to come to a spectacular end. coming up! charles goes public, and returns fire. >> it was a terrible miscalculation. >> and diana's revenge? a dish best served cold. a dress best worn short. >> the picture was all about diana. >> when dateline continues! >> by 1994, prince charles was narrator: by 1994, prince charles back with old, flame camilla parker bowles, the prince had never publicly responded to diana's bombshell book. but to mark his 25th anniversary appointment as prince of wales, he hired a tv crew to follow him around when his public image gave him a boost. but the plan backfired when charles was asked, had he been faithful in his marriage. the answer made news around the world. he said quote, yes, until it became irretrievably broken down. >> it was a terrible miscalculation. it didn't help, because they immediately focused on, yes, yes, adultery! and diana's response to charles's big moment? >> was this! >> the princess wasn't watching. she was at an art gallery. >> once again, upstaging her husband on the very night of his contrite confession. by wearing what they would be called, the revenge dress! >> the next day, the headline was all about the interview. but the picture was about diana. >> and, there was still one bombshell coming. this would be the biggest of them all! november, 1995. the war of the wales had reached all new intensity, as the royal company -- out in public. according to chief bodyguard, ken, diana felt that she was the target of a smear campaign. she believed it was being orchestrated by the palace, which deployed surrogates to discredit her. >> friends of the prince of wales went on public television to say that diana was paranoid. that she was believing. and even a friend of the queen said diana was damaged goods. heavy stuff, because whoever is watching was gonna believe that because it was on national television. that wasn't true. diana was not paranoid. she wasn't damaged grids. she was very unhappy with the state of her marriage. >> diana was used to being the most popular royal. and knew that she had the power to fight back. >> so diana said, well, how the hell am i going to counteract that? there is only one way to do that. i'm gonna tell them myself. >> so diana took to television and appeared on the bbc program, panorama, with mark basheer. where she deliver that now infamous remark about camilla that ricocheted around the world. there were three of us in this marriage, she told basheer. so it was a bit crowded. >> if she expose herself, it was the raw diana. >> she thought she had to do this, prince charles had more or less admitted to having an adulterous affair with camilla. and diana felt very hurt by this, and that so she was thinking, i have to reach out and tell this, and reach out to people. >> diana also shocked many viewers when asked if charles would ever become king. she said, quote, i don't know if any of us would know the answer to that. >> it was very powerful tv, but while saying many of the things that she did say, which i felt were totally fair, she used it as an opportunity to attack prince charles'fitness to be a monarch, to be a future king. that was a major, major problem. >> and according to her friend, simone simmons, diana even got a negative review from her 13 year old son, william. >> diana really, really regretted the interview. >> it wasn't a good idea. was it a bad idea? i think when people were so desperate, and she was desperate to ensure that people everywhere knew the true story about this marriage. >> i thought it was a mistake. the bashir interview. i don't think she helped herself. >> did you tell her not to do it? >> i did not know she was going to do it. >> so it was a surprise to you? >> it was a big surprise. >> years later, the interview stirred up more controversy, with allegations that martin bashir obtained under false pretenses. he said that bashir try to gain diane's trust by presenting her with false documents that palace employees are spying on her. at that time, bbc conducted an investigation and cleared bashir of wrongdoing. but 15 years after the interview, an independent commission by the bbc found that both broadcasting management, and martin bashir breached bbc guidelines. the podcaster and mark bashir, both issued full and unconditional apologies. but no matter how the interview came about, the impact at the time was undeniable. the queen was so upset by it, she told the royal couple that they needed to do more than simply separate. >> queen elizabeth's command came in a letter to the children, telling her son and daughter in law, it's time to stop squabbling and get a divorce. >> she was pretty much ordered to get a divorce, because they couldn't tolerate the situation where this couple was continuing to fight each other through the cameras, through the newspapers. >> it would make the monarchy look bad? >> it made them look ridiculous. and undermine charles's reputation, and damage the future of the monarchy. >> improbable as it may seem, simone says that diana was shocked. >> she was absolutely distraught. after the queen had given the orders. her eyes were like pandas. she had been crying so much. >> but the queen had spoken. and it was, of course, front page news in the london tabloids. nine months after the interview. in august of 1996, the royal divorce was final. >> it is estimated that diana will get about $26 million as a settlement, as part of the deal. >> the stunning settlement made even bigger deadlines, but the real story was behind the numbers. >> as part of the negotiating position, diana said that she would give up her royal status. i think that was a bad thing. >> she will cease to be her royal highness. effectively, she is being sacked. fired from the royal firm. and that is a public humiliation. >> she very pointedly said to me, which is also quite an interesting story that william had told her, that when he was king, he would give her title back. and incredibly sweet. very poignant, because when you're at that age, only 15 years old. >> diana not only lost her royal status, she also really coach something even more important. her royal security. it was a critical decision which her former chief bodyguard, ken wharf, headlong cautioned her not to make. >> whatever you want to do. you will always be, diana the princess of wales. the one thing that you shouldn't give up is your security. i urge you strongly. not to do that. there's only one person in my view, that would have insisted that she retain her security. that would be the queen herself. if she insisted that she retain the security, we wouldn't be having this discussion. because diana would be alive today. >> but the queen did not insist. diana's security detail stood down. >> in my view, the tragedy was almost inevitable. >> coming up! the man who stole her heart. >> she said, i think i've met my mr. wonderful. >> and the man who would share her fate. >> dodi al fayed came along at a critical point in diana's life. >> when dateline continues! 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[explosion] >> 3, 4 -- >> january 1997. one of the most memorable images in a lie filled with them. diana, and a protective visor and body armor, walking a minefield in angola. her mission? to publicize an organization seeking to remove the world of land mines. >> i am committed to supporting, in whatever way i can, the international campaign to outlaw these dreadful weapons. >> five months divorced, no longer officially a royal, but still beloved the world over as princess diana. she was still using her clout for cause as she believed in, but had cut back to just a select few. >> diana decided that she was going to enjoy her newfound status, and change herself into a footloose and fancy free figure of childhood endeavor. wanting to embark on new relationships, yes, wanting to have new autonomy. >> diana was in her mid 30s, single, unattached. she spoke frequently with her journalist friend, richard, about the difficulties of finding that special someone. >> she was betrayed by so many people. let down by lots of people. including, of course, and famously, prince charles. and she was constantly looking, looking not just for love, but for affection. and trust in people. >> one day, at a chance meeting at this loved in hospital, diana's finally see what she was looking for. she was introduced to a hard surgeon, named haznat khan. >> that's when she phoned me up to say, i think that man was wonderful. and their eyes met, she said, it was like drowning in a sea of chocolate velvet. in his eyes. >> their relationship was very discrete. >> it had these secret meetings in the hospital, the hospital staff was concerned that she was gonna be found out. because she still brought so much attention with her. >> he just wanted to be a doctor? >> he was at this point a sort of junior surgeon at the hospital and working all the time. she would go to his apartment and do the washing up of the dishes and stuff like that. she used an assumed name when she called him. >> armani? >> armani. >> diana was so smitten with khan that she even went to pakistan for his family. >> she wanted to marry him, but she knew there was no greater fear than a pakistani mother has then sending him to a british boarding school, and coming back with a white woman. >> and a princess diana as well. >> exactly, so she has to go back and convince his parents that she would be a suitable match for him. and it's complicated, because the idea of how they would have a life together. that they would be normal is immediately a huge obstacle. this is not a normal relationship. >> so much for normalcy. >> she had this idea that they were going to have a normal life. but her idea of normal is not actually that normal. and i think that he kind of recognize that. and found it very difficult. >> diana told her close friends that natty, as she called him, was the love of her life. she was even willing to leave london for him. >> she looked to live in south africa, australia, and wondered whether it would work. but khan had a career path, he was doing important work. >> so saving peoples lives won out over diana? >> i guess so. it didn't last, because frankly, it wouldn't last. this guy is devoted to his career. the idea that he could become mr. princess of wales, if you like was just ridiculous. >> the couple broke it off in july 1997. a few weeks later came an invitation from an egyptian billionaire muhammad al fayed, he owned the famous harrod's department store. he was vacationing on his yacht and asked diana to join him. his son dodi al fayed was there to join them. >> dodi al fayed came along at a critical moment in diana's life. she was looking for something different. very quickly, they were involved in a holiday romance. >> her love affair with doctor khan had been a closely held secret. her affair with dodi al fayed was anything but. >> -- photographs were taken of them and diana did not disavow this relationship. she made it clear still clear to me, he is an unmarried man. and i am a divorced woman. why shouldn't i see him? yes i'm very happy. he makes me happy. i mean, that was the message she sent out. >> a message, says simone symonds, was meant for one person in particular. >> she thought it might get khan back because he might be jealous. diana had the emotional maturity of a 13 to 14 year old. oh, let's get him jealous. it's gonna make him want me even more. that was diana. >> whatever diana's intent, those pictures on the yacht triggered a media feeding frenzy, to strap the next big shot for apparent new romance. and soon, it would set into motion a deadly series of events. that would spread shock and grief around the world! coming up! >> paparazzi close in on them. like a pack of wolves. >> what happened that fateful night. >> what did you see as you entered the tunnel? >> there was an accident. there was smoke in the tunnel. >> inside, the fight to save diana. >> two people were not reacting, so i'm assume they were dead. and the two reacting, breathing, shouting. >> when dateline continues! what is cirkul? cirkul is the fuel you need to take flight. cirkul is the energy that gets you to the next level. cirkul is what you hope for when life tosses lemons your way. cirkul. it's your water, your way. detect this: living with hiv, i learned i can stay undetectable with fewer medicines. that's why i switched to dovato. dovato is a complete hiv treatment for some adults. no other complete hiv pill uses fewer medicines to help keep you undetectable than dovato. detect this: most hiv pills contain 3 or 4 medicines. dovato is as effective with just 2. if you have hepatitis b, don't stop dovato without talking to your doctor. don't take dovato if you're allergic to its ingredients or taking dofetilide. this can cause serious or life-threatening side effects. if you have a rash or allergic reaction symptoms, stop dovato and get medical help right away. serious or life-threatening lactic acid buildup and liver problems can occur. tell your doctor if you have kidney or liver problems, or if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or considering pregnancy. dovato may harm an unborn baby. most common side effects are headache, nausea, diarrhea, trouble sleeping, tiredness, and anxiety. detect this: i stay undetectable with fewer medicines. ask your doctor about switching to dovato. the power goes out and we still have wifi i stay undetectable with fewer medicines. to do our homework. and that's a good thing? great in my book! who are you? no power? no problem. introducing storm-ready wifi. now you can stay reliably connected through power outages with unlimited cellular data and up to 4 hours of battery back-up to keep you online. only from xfinity. home of the xfinity 10g network. goli, taste your goals. learn more today. hon the last dayity of her life, diana >> on the last day of her life, arrived in paris, fresh off the yacht with dodi al-fayed. diana arrived in paris. fresh off the yacht with dodi al fayed, interest in the couple was beyond intense. >> they were being pursued very, very aggressively by the paparazzi. >> the late christopher dickey was the paris bureau chief for the magazine at the time. she was there when dodi al fayed blue into town. >> this whole scenario the created a feeding frenzy for the paparazzi. >> they were intent on getting another picture, they wanted to get dodi al fayed and diana together, wherever they could get them. and they would pursue them, no matter where. >> on the night of august 30th, dodi al fayed and diana went to dinner at the ritz hotel owned by dodi al fayed's father. a security camera captured their arrival. later that evening, diana called her close friend richard. it was the last conversation that they would ever have. >> and i could tell from her voice that she was tired, she was anxious about getting home. she was missing william and harry. she hadn't seen them for several weeks. >> why did she call you? was there anything specific? or just to chat. >> she called to chat. she had a rough time and she was pretty much fed up with the way that she was being treated by the media, the constant presence of the paparazzi was getting on her nerves. she had given a big interview about her latest campaign, which is about the scourge of landmarks. and she felt that her -- was being misunderstood. possibly deliberately by the press. >> so she was frustrated? >> she was frustrated. and she felt like she had enough, and she wanted to make some big changes in our life. >> that night, diana had crowds and paparazzi waiting outside of the hotel for her and dodi al fayed to appear. as seen as this video, shot by an australian footage and obtained by paris police. among the photographers, was pierre. eager to snapshot and cash in. >> maybe one picture would go over 100,000 child dollars. at the time, it would be like 300,000 today. >> with that kind of money on the line, soon him and his fellow paparazzi were determined to stay there all night. but later that evening, the couple change plans. >> after finishing dinner here at the ritz hotel, diana and dodi al fayed decided to go to his apartment. to avoid the swarm of paparazzi that had gathered in front of the hotel, dodi al fayed and his father patch a plan to secretly slip away by leaving from the back. >> dodi al fayed was either to leave the paparazzi behind, especially after the media friendly of the past few weeks. according to his bodyguard. trevor jones. >> -- in paris was more aggressive, an aggressive attitude than anything we had seen. >> but that night, jones believed that dodi al fayed escape plan was half baked. he was to leave from the rear of the hotel, against our wishes. with no security at all. and the footman said it's not gonna happen, i'll be going with them. >> the hotels acting director of security, was a man named henri paul. he was off duty that night, but was called in to drive dodi al fayed and diana to the mercedes limo. shortly after midnight, along with trevor jones, they slipped out to the back alley where the limo was waiting and took off. >> our last memory is of the car pulling away. and noticing a couple of paparazzi vehicles following. the paparazzi close in on them, like a pack of wolves. >> they managed to catch them on camera at a nearby's drop light. that's trevor jones riding shotgun with henri paul cross the real. >> so he put the pedal to the metal. to out run paparazzi on motorcycles. >> the mercedes raced toward the entrance of the tunnel. >> it was racing 100 miles per hour. >> she wasn't wearing a seatbelt. >> they hit that bump, they were more or less airborne. >> in a blink of an eye, they smashed, head on, into the 13th pillar. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> moments later, frederik, an emergency room doctor, and his partner, mark, approach the tunnel from the other side. they took us back to the scene. >> what did you see as you entered the tunnel? >> we saw that there was smoke in the tunnel. and i said, maybe there is a fire. but as we pull down there, we see that there was an accident that just happened. >> and it was a bad one? >> yes, it was severe. >> so, so severe, the doctor immediately sprung into action. >> you have to be really quick to do the first assessment. two people are not reacting, so i assume they are dead. and the two others are reacting, breathing, shouting. >> dodi al fayed and the driver, henri paul, were dead. and trevor was somehow clinging to life. as was diana who was trapped in the backseat. >> did the woman in the back say anything? >> this woman did not say anything. she was unconscious. her head was down. she had difficulty to breathe. when i looked at her, she was still a very beautiful woman. >> in the chaos, neither doctor realized who it was. >> i think it's well known, a prince or something. and his girlfriend. or wife or something. like that. >> by now, photographer pierre had arrived. just as he was preparing to snap some photos, police showed up and ordered him out of the tunnel. but he still managed to get these dramatic shots from the outside looking in. >> i had a little telephoto lens. i took pictures of anything that i could see. >> meanwhile, the doctor was desperately trying to help diana in any way that he could. >> with my respiratory bag, i helped her to breathe. i lifted her head. and, little by little. she regained a little bit more consciousness. more reaction. someone behind me told me that the victims spoke english. so i began to speak english. to the this young lady. >> what were you saying to her? >> i was just trying to comfort her, i said i was a doctor. the ambulance was on their way. and everything would be all right. >> soon, the media arrived. and the story was on tvs across the world. >> we've been following the car accident this evening. in paris, france. princess diana. >> the news have been gone dead, because it was a long weekend. the press run was running, and it was a question of would someone shout out stop the presses! did you? yes they did, but they were gonna do it on the basis of what i could report. >> they rushed to the tunnel where the mangled mercedes was being towed out. diana had already been taken to the hospital. anxiously waiting for her was french diplomat, sammy nair, he was there when the ambulance arrived as he told us in his first interview with american tv. >> when those doors opened to that ambulance inside, was princess diana? >> translator: i remember one thing that moved me a lot, that really touch me. she was lying there. she looked serene. there was something angelic about her. >> inside the er, a team of doctors desperately tried to save her. but diana was failing fast. >> translator: all the information that we were getting was the same. that they are massaging her heart, they are trying to save her. >> but they're frantic efforts were futile. princess diana was announced dead at four a. m.. her death was kept secret for two more hours. until the royal family, especially prince charles, could be notified. >> he was absolutely devastated. his first thought was for his children, obviously, but he knew that he would be blamed. the public would think that if he had not divorced diana, they would still be happily married, the fairytale would have gone on. >> princess diana has died in a hospital in paris, france. >> the only survivor was trevor jones. >> i feel no guilt in the actions that were taken that night, the guilt is that i survived. >> soon, millions would be morning. not only in the uk, but around the world. but, there was one rather prominent person who needed prompting to pay her respects. coming up! where was the queen? >> there was a lot of resentment. we needed to hear from her. >> and astonishing outpouring, still powerful years later. >> the whole world stood still. >> it was heartbreaking, wasn't it? >> when dateline continues! t of breath, and often out of the picture. but this is my story. ( ♪♪ ) and with once-daily trelegy, it can still be beautiful. because with 3 medicines in 1 inhaler, trelegy keeps my airways open for a full 24 hours and prevents future flare-ups. trelegy also improves lung function, so i can breathe more freely all day and night. trelegy won't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden breathing problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure before taking it. do not take trelegy more than prescribed. trelegy may increase your risk of thrush, pneumonia, and osteoporosis. call your doctor if worsened breathing, chest pain, mouth or tongue swelling, problems urinating, vision changes, or eye pain occur. ♪ what a wonderful world ♪ [laughing] ask your doctor about once-daily trelegy for copd because breathing should be beautiful, all day and night. their neighbor a commercial fishermen who ran for the u.s. house seat is also missing. one of the world's largest icebergs is drifting out of the antarctic waters, this is the first time it is moved in three decades. the british and arctic survey said it's been drifting for a year, but is now picking up speed due to the currents there. they do not believe it is a result of rising temperatures. >> and now back to dateline. >> the morning after. diana's shocking death was just beginning to resonate around the world. by now prince charles had arrived in paris, greeted by a horde of photographers. including pierre. >> and i look through my telephoto, i saw somebody shattered. i could see the despair of that man. i hope i would never take the picture like this again. >> later that day, diana's body would be flown back to london for the funeral, and burial. but photographer, arthur edwards, whose pictures 17 years earlier first introduced diana to the world. would now take his last photo of her. >> as it came out, it started to hit me. and i realize, this is the big moment that i could get this picture. and i started to cry. >> diana's old friend, and confidence, james, was watching it all on television. where he got the tragic news, like everyone else. >> it was a tragedy, absolute tragedy. it was sad that it happened and for me, it was the last of a chu.. we've been through a lot. >> you changed her life? >> she changed her life. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> later that morning, came the public outpouring. and it was unlike anything in the history of the monarchy. >> outside st. james palace, thousands waited. >> the whole world stood still. it was a collective, massive, global sense of mourning. >> royal photographer, jane fincher, was one of thousands who flocked to kensington palace to pay their respects to diana. >> i picked some plants for my garden, and as i walked up to kensington palace, i just burst to tears. i wasn't prepared for it. i think it was the smell. the smell of the flowers. it was incredible. >> so many here in london who have made a trip to leave something in her memory. cards, flowers, a flickering candle. >> it was mainly the sense of a loss of a magical figure. >> she was our princess, wasn't she? the peoples princess. simple as that really. >> for the country, for everybody, she had so much to give. she was so brave. >> she was one of the most loved people in this country. >> but one person had yet to pay her respects. the queen. who was conspicuously absent in scotland with the two young princes. the queen's initial silence seemed to send a loud message about the monarchy's coolness towards diana, and her remarkable popularity. >> there was a lot of resentment after diana's death that the queen was somehow not with her people in london and pressure built. the mother is the queen, we need to hear from her. >> something needed to be done, so prime minister tony blair, and other government officials, discreetly, but firmly, urged the queen to come to london. >> tony blair had to basically say, looked at the people! look at those flowers outside of kensington palace. think about this and say something appropriate. so she did. >> first, i want to pay tribute to diana myself. she was an exceptional and gifted human being, and good times and bad, she never lost her capacity to smile and laugh. nor to inspire others with her warmth, and kindness. >> it was a pivotal moment for not only the monarchy, but the entire uk. >> soon, the funeral followed. but again, the world watch. >> the most touching moment for me at least, and i think for millions of people was that card. that said mommy. >> yeah. it was heartbreaking wasn't? it written by william, and placed on top of the coffin. and that sight of william and harry, walking behind the gun carriage was incredibly moving. and people who never knew her where sobbing their hearts out. it just told you something about diana, that she reached out to ordinary people in a unique way. >> the young princes, william and harry still remember that day of course. and the pain of losing their mother as they told us in 2007. >> straight after it happened, we were always thinking, there is not a day goes by that i don't think about -- >> it still upsets me. we didn't have as much of a chance as children to spend time with her. >> there was someone else at the funeral who was also close to diana. someone that few recognized. doctor khan. >> he was very upset about it, and quietly came to the funeral. there was an element of what could've been for the two of them. >> maybe he was her one true love? >> she was certainly in love with him when she died. ♪ ♪ ♪ >> later that day, diana was buried at althorp, her family's estate. the peoples princess was just 36. as the public outpouring for princess diana was winding down, the blame game was gearing up. diana's brother, charles, was outraged at the media over his sister's death. >> it would appear that every proprietor, and editor, out of every publication that has paid for them exploited photos of her. encouraging greedy individuals to pursue everything in terms of diana's image, has blood on his hands today. >> the grim task of trying to determine how, and why, diana died. was already underway in paris. and pressure was mounting to find answers. was this crash simply a horrible tragedy? or was it the result of a full blown conspiracy? coming up! >> take us inside that tunnel. >> an exhaustive investigation. >> the police confiscated all rolls of film that the photographers, and in their pocket at night. >> and an explosive claim. >> and the boyfriend said it was no -- >> we looked at every single allegation that come forward. >> when dateline continues! new emergen-c crystals pop and fizz when you throw them back. and who doesn't love a good throwback? 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[music playing] [coughs] when caroline has a cough, she takes robitussin. so, she can have those one on ones again. hey jim! can we talk about casual fridays? oh sure. what's up? get fast, powerful cough relief with robitussin, and find your voice. ♪robitussin♪ the shock and sorrow of and find your voice. the shock and sorrow of princess diana's tragic death princess diana's tragic death was now giving way to a hard-core police investigation. >> soon after the crash, the investigation here in paris got underway. but of course, this was no ordinary case. french investigators were quickly joined by landon >> it's an investigation that's being conducted in traditional french fashion. slowly and silently. >> the paris investigation was headed by police chief, martin material. [speaking in a global language] >> to avoid what used to call the marilyn monroe syndrome. that means that 30 years later, you wouldn't be sure whether this was some kind of a conspiracy. with the whole world watching, french investigators dug into the case unlike any other. >> translator: we interviewed over 1000 witnesses. and we analyzed 1300 phone calls just that night, to see who would make calls to whom, and notably, who had called for help. among those witnesses were several paparazzi who were in the tunnel right after the crash. some were arrested, all were questioned including photographer pursue. >> police confiscated all the roles in films that they had in their pockets at night. the film was developed and checked for possible clues. while inside the tunnel, investigators made a careful sweep looking for leads. take us inside that tunnel after the accident. >> translator: we found little pearls from princess diana's bracelet, and little pieces of the mirror. the mirror which appear to have been ripped off the mercedes during the crash, at the crime lab, forensic scientist -- analyzed every inch of the smashed up mercedes. he discovered a dent with tiny specks of white paint. and on the mirror, he also noticed similar white blotches. these microscopic pieces of paint matched. it's white paint present on the mercedes. belongs to another car. it was paint specific for the fiat at uno. contact between mercedes and affiliate just at the entrance of the tunnel. >> more evidence that second car mystery theory. >> now, police were getting a better idea of what may have actually caused the wreck, according to christopher dickey. there is a little on ramp that comes in from the right, and you don't necessarily see cars on that so this fiat uno a little after midnight comes down into the tunnel. and then there's this flying mercedes coming in behind. >> he swerved to miss the fiat? and swept the fiat? >> investigators believe that high-speed swerve by the mercedes to avoid the fiat was just enough to send it careening into the pillar. as for the fiat, it was never found. neither was the driver. after an exhaustive 14 month investigation, paris police did arrive at a very simple conclusion. that centered on the limo driver, henri paul. remember, he'd been off-duty and called in specially to drive the princess on-duty. not just revealed he ate was intoxicated at the time of the crash. his blood alcohol level, twice the legal limit. investigators determined paul was drunk and driving too fast as he tried to flee the paparazzi. >> translator: it was, in summary, a tragic, banal traffic accident. >> but one british poll indicated that more than 60% of uk citizens were convinced diana and dodi's deaths were result of a conspiracy. leading the charge was dodi's's father, -- >> the billionaire financier insisted the car crash was actually a murder. orchestrated by the monarchy and implemented by mi5. the uk's domestic security service. >> i am certain, one hundred percent. that a leading member of the royal family have planned that. >> his explosive allegation that prince phillip was part of the murder plot -- was very taken very seriously by scotland yard. >> her boyfriend's father insists it was no accident. and so, an official investigation was launched. >> it was headed by lord john stevens. stevens entertainment of investigators took a deep dive into the case. >> we had to disprove that there was a conspiracy. what we did, we looked at every single allegation that have come forward. >> finally, after three pressure packed years, stevens and his team announced their findings. >> there was no conspiracy to murder any occupants of that car. this was a tragic accident. >> then, in 2007, some ten years after diana's death, the inquiry was followed by a six month court hearing and the jury came to the exact same conclusion. diana was not murdered. >> the notion that she was set up by prince philip has been completely debunked. >> the monarchy eventually moved on. but diana's impact is still being felt. coming up, -- >> her boys, are they her greatest legacy? >> without question. >> the new royal rebels, following indiana's footsteps. >> prince harry effectively snapped saying, back off, your hounding her like you hounded my mother. he was going to make sure that history was not repeated. >> when dateline continues. 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>> without question. and not just they way they are, but the way they've been allowed to become. everything that happened to william and harry is a direct consequence of what their mother, the pioneer, did. the royals are very concerned that william and harry should have this normal upbringing as they possibly could. >> diana tackle issues that weren't always so comfortable. going places and meeting people who were all too often left behind. now, her children do the same. >> our visit with her mother ignited a deep and growing interest for the great work charity does for the homeless. >> two decades after diana walk through a minefield in angola, son harry literally followed in her footsteps. continuing her work to rid the world of land mines by 2025. >> let's make future generations proud and finish what we started. >> diana's influence extends to william and harry's personal lives as well. prince william chose to marry a commoner, kate middleton. >> prince william met kate at university when there was a ban on the press intruding in his life. so, he had for years to get to know kate. and to know whether they really liked one another. perfect scenario if you're gonna marry somebody. >> kate was accepted and celebrated because williams mother paved the way three decades earlier. >> and prince harry? he married actress, meghan markle. their wedding a union of royal and american traditions punctuated by this moment. >> an african american bishop delivering his sermon at 900 -year-old windsor castle. camilla tommy was nbc's royal expert. she sixpack did that diana might have approved of her sons bride. >> she would've been really attracted to the idea of meghan being someone who knew her own mind and wanted to champion the causes that were important to her. >> harry also understood the scrutiny his new bride would face. he had seen firsthand what is mom went through. >> very much from the off, he was going to protect a woman by his side, and make sure that history was not repeated. >> still, the couple was tabloid fodder. harry, effectively snapped. and issued a missive to the press, basically saying, back off. your hounding her look you hounded my mother. >> after almost a year and eight months of marriage, harry and meghan made a stark choice. they were stepping back from the royal lives and moving to the united states. camilla tommy says protecting megan was one reason, but there are other reasons as well. >> prince harry was quite unhappy in the royal family. when he was just kind of playing plus one to the cambridges. meghan said she felt that she wasn't really properly understood and supported, this idea that the institution couldn't quite cope with this quite outspoken, super confident, experienced women of the world. >> harry and meghan cut a multi million dollar deal with netflix. the excitement over the crown shows the royals are still fascinating. but did the series stray too far from fact? the uk's culture secretary asked netflix to place a label on the show, identifying it is fiction. netflix declined. a former palace official called the series a hatchet job on prince charles. as for the real charles and camilla, they've been happily married for more than 15 years. and williams future looms large. >> when people think about future kings, they think of this idea of charles not being on the throne for long. and then the vision really is of king william. today in paris on the overpass atop the infamous tunnel where diana died, is a shrine, of sorts. a place where people from all over the world leave flowers. a note. a name. to honor the woman they never knew. but will always remember. a princess who is much more than a royal, and who still has a hold on us after all these years. >> hello, i'm andrea canning. this is dateline. >> he told me he loved me.