French authorities have sealed a 6,000-page investigative dossier on the 1997 car crash that killed Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed, locking the files away until at least 2082 and reigniting decades-old speculation over what happened inside the Pont de l'Alma tunnel. With the 30th anniversary approaching in 2027, the decision has intensified scrutiny of how France documented one of the most consequential fatal accidents in modern royal history, according to records detailed by RadarOnline.com.
The documents-assembled in 2007 after an 18-month inquiry by French police-remain stored in the basement archives of the Palais de Justice in Paris and protected under article L213-2 of France's heritage code, which blocks public access to certain national files for 75 years. A Palais de Justice spokesperson confirmed: "The investigation file is placed in the archives of the Paris Court of Appeal. In application of article L213-2 of the heritage code, it cannot be consulted before the expiration of a period of 75 years." The spokesperson added that "there is no online version of this archive."
The restrictions have drawn pointed criticism from individuals familiar with the case. One source who viewed portions of the file told RadarOnline.com, "This secrecy stinks of a cover-up and conspiracy at the highest level, and is typical of French bureaucracy." A legal source involved in earlier proceedings said, "Sealing the documents until long after everyone involved is gone only deepens the sense that the full truth is being pushed out of reach - and many believe these files contain the definitive truth about the circumstances of Diana's death."
The Paris archive was handled under unusual circumstances even when the investigation was active. In 2007, French officials said the entire dossier had been "lost" just weeks before the £17 million British inquest began. That inquest ultimately ruled that Diana and Al Fayed were "unlawfully killed" because of grossly negligent driving by paparazzi and chauffeur Henri Paul, who also died in the crash. The sole survivor, Diana's bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones, remained unable to recall key details due to severe injuries.
According to sources cited by RadarOnline.com, the French file contains thousands of pages of material produced by about 30 officers, including roughly 200 witness statements, toxicology analyses for Paul, and photographs from the crash scene that have never been publicly released. Lawyer Jean-Louis Pelletier, who represented paparazzo Fabrice Chassery, said in 2007, "When I went into the court to ask to see the files, I was told they weren't there. I know files go missing from time to time, but bearing in mind the size and importance of this particular one, it is extraordinary."
Although British investigator Lord Stevens later received partial photocopies, only the original French documents are admissible in any future legal proceedings. Additional controversy surfaced in 2006 when French authorities disclosed that photographs of Diana and Al Fayed at the crash scene had disappeared. A British lawyer responding to the disclosure said, "It is scarcely believable that such crucial evidence could be lost just weeks before the inquest."
With official access blocked for another half-century-and the possibility of further extensions-the sealed dossier remains a focal point for renewed public interest. As the 30-year mark approaches, the absence of transparency continues to shape global debate over the events that led to Diana's death, the role of paparazzi, the actions of French authorities, and the unanswered questions that persist despite multiple investigations on both sides of the Channel.
