Princess Diana Dies After A Car Crash

Princess Diana dies shortly after a high-speed car accident in Paris, France.

In 1997, Princess Diana, who was the former wife of British monarch Queen Elizabeth II's eldest son Prince Charles, died as a result of serious injuries that she suffered during a car accident in Paris, France. Also killed were her friend Dodi Al-Fayed and the driver, Henri Paul, while her bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones, survived the accident despite also suffering serious injuries. Princess Diana's death caused shock and widespread mourning, not only in Great Britain, but also among millions of people around the world.

former (adjective): having existed before; previous
monarch (noun): royal leader (king, queen)
bodyguard (noun): a person who stays close to, guards and protects another person
shock (noun): feeling of disbelief and surprise after something unexpected happens
mourning (noun): expression of sadness and grief following a person's death

This satellite view shows the Pont de l'Alma (Alma Bridge) over the River Seine in Paris. North is at the top. On the north bank of the Seine, and just to the east of the bridge, you can see the entrance to the Alma Tunnel - in which the accident occurred when Princess Diana's car hit the tunnel's thirteenth column.

Mini Quiz

1. At the time of her death, Princess Diana was Queen Elizabeth II's
a) step-daughter
b) daughter-in-law
c) former daughter-in-law

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2. News of Princess Diana's sudden death caused
a) serious injuries in Paris
b) shock in Great Britain only
c) sadness all around the world

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3. If someone is in mourning, they are feeling sadness and grief because somebody important to them
a) has died
b) has hurt them
c) has gone away

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Contributor: Matt Errey. Matt is the author of several books including 1000 Phrasal Verbs in Context and Common English Idioms for learners, and Matt's ESL Games and Quizzes for teachers.