Late Princess Diana Reportedly Went To Extreme Lengths For Self Protection

Princess Diana lived a life of caution up until her death!

The late royal reportedly tried her earthly best to protect herself from all the unhealthy attention surrounding her status in the United Kingdom. It went as far as attending shooting classes.

Princess Diana tragically lost her life in a car crash in Paris alongside her close friend, Dodi Fayed, when their car lost control upon entry into an underground tunnel.

According to details from Andrew Morton's biography "Diana: Her True Story," the princess was in such a state of panic that she took dangerous driving courses and gun lessons.

The late socialite was constantly reminded of how danger lurked around her whenever she looked over her shoulder and saw her bodyguard. She was reportedly aware of how she had become a potential target for an "anonymous terrorist or an unknown madman."

The history of some previous attacks on the royals, like the kidnap attempt on Princess Anne and a break-in to Queen Elizabeth's bedroom in 1982, also worried her.

With full knowledge of these prior attacks, Diana reportedly went in for basic lessons on how to handle potential terrorist attacks or escape kidnapping plots.

According to The Daily Mail, the methods of teaching at the Special Air Services in Hereford included the use of thunder flashes and smoke bombs being launched at her car to depict real-life attacks.

Diana did not stop at Hereford; she went on to Lippitts Hill in Loughton, Essex, to receive training just like officers of the Metropolitan Police who underwent weapons training sessions there.

Morton noted that the princess learned to handle a .38-calibre Smith and Wesson revolver right there and a Heckler & Koch machine pistol.

These weapons were typically issued to members of the Royal Protection Squad who ensured round-the-clock security for high-ranking individuals, including members of the Royal Family.

Although Diana never came face to face with kidnapping or assassination plots, she did not escape the ruthless fangs of the media, who clicked away without remorse.

The late princess ended up on the list of one of the most photographed women in human history, which was a double-edged sword, as it gave attackers leverage in knowing her location.

BBC reported that the socialite had looked forward to spending an intimate evening with Fayed after dinner at a two-star restaurant in the Ritz Hotel, popular for its delectable seafood menu.

Diana and her company planned to end the night at a private villa owned by Fayed's family, but the black Mercedes meant to ferry them to the venue became a victim of a bloody paparazzi chase.

A few minutes after the car left the Ritz, the vehicle crashed at the Pont de l'Alma bridge, a few miles away from the Eiffel Tower, where the vehicle hit a concrete post and bounced into a wall.

The impact of the crash reportedly crushed all the passengers, leaving Diana with heavy bleeding in the chest area. Initial medical reports noted that the princess got a concussion, a broken arm, and cuts to her thighs from the accident.

French Interior Minister Jean-Pierre Chevènement announced Diana's death outside the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris. The driver of the Mercedes reportedly had a high level of alcohol in his system at the time of the crash.

Diana did not have many friends in the royal family, but outside the gates of the palace and a life she had always known, she found a home in her trainer, Jenni Rivett.

"She was excited to get away, she needed a break, and she loved being in the sun, but there was a lot of stuff going on with her," Rivett shared per The Blast.

She added that the princess carried a sense of sadness, and "while she was always terrific fun, had a great sense of humour," her burden was heavy.

When things reached an unbearable peak between 1991 and 1997, Rivett shared that Diana would often share her thoughts with her, to the point where she warned her to be more cautious in case of a media leak.

Rivett emphasized that the princess was not interested in the pomp and pageantry of royal life; she only wanted to "be a good wife and mother." Towards the end of August 1997, Diana reportedly handed her September workout schedule to Rivett.

Unfortunately, September never came as the vibrant princess lost her life on the last day of August. "It wasn't just the loss of a client. It was the loss of someone I cared deeply about," Rivett said about Diana's death.

It has been nearly three decades since Diana's death, but her memory remains fresh in the hearts of her loved ones even on her 64th posthumous birthday.

The day coincided with Meghan Markle's wine launch, and her business decision could not have happened at a worse time, according to royal expert Kinsey Schofield.

The expert noted that Prince William, Diana's eldest son, was displeased by his younger brother's wife's actions. William reportedly wondered why Meghan would choose to release an alcohol brand on Diana's birthday, considering how she died.

"Timing an alcohol launch to Diana's birthday wasn't just a misstep; it was borderline cruel," Schofield stressed. The expert described the act as a stark contrast to the narrative she has worked very hard to craft, and if she were to claim ignorance, it would even be a worse form of insensitivity.

Princess Diana's death remains one of poignant events of the 20th century.