Diana's Death: Catastrophe or Conspiracy?

More than six years after the couple died in a Paris car crash, separate inquests into the deaths of Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed begin on Tuesday. They are likely to be the only official British investigations into the 1997 crash in the Pont de l'Alma underpass in Paris. The inquests are both being overseen by Michael Burgess, who in addition to being royal coroner, is also the coroner of Surrey, where Dodi Al Fayed is buried. He immediately adjourned the hearings pending his examination of the 6,000-page file that French authorities compiled on the crash. It could be over a year before hearings get underway.

But the idea that Diana, the most photographed woman in the world, and self-proclaimed "Queen of Hearts," died at age 36 in a car accident just seems too ordinary to be believed for many of her devoted fans.

Accident or plot?

Conspiracy theorists point out how little is known about the incidents surrounding her death. On the night of Aug. 31, 1997, Diana and boyfriend Dodi, son of Harrods owner Mohammed Al Fayed, ducked out a rear entrance to Paris' Hotel Ritz and climbed into an armoured Mercedes in a bid to flee paparazzi camped outside the hotel's entrance. Hotel security guard Henri Paul was in the driver's seat. He drove fast -- too fast, as it turned out -- and was pursued by photographers in cars and on motorcycles.

In the tunnel of the Pont de l'Alma, the Mercedes rammed into the 13th pillar supporting the tunnel roof with a speed of over 100 km. Only Diana's bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones survived, but can't remember the events of that night. Diana died in Paris' Pitie Salpetriere Hospital; the others in the car died instantly.

The French inquiry concluded that the crash happened because the couple's chauffeur was speeding and had been drinking heavily in addition to taking anti-depressants. Dodi's father refused to accept the findings and soon became the most vocal of the conspiracy theorists. He filed court appeals against the French findings, helping to delay the start of the British inquests, which could only start once proceedings in France were closed.

Rumors won't go away

Rumors that Diana was the victim of a murderous plot began circulating soon after her death. They gained new life in October last year, when her former butler, Paul Burrell, released a letter she wrote 10 months before her death in which she named a person who was "planning an accident" with her car to clear the way for Prince Charles to marry his longtime lover, Camilla Parker-Bowles.

There have also been speculations about the role of the chauffeur, Henri Paul. His parents maintain that someone switched his blood sample, which revealed a high alcohol level and traces of drugs, to incriminate him. Videos from the Ritz Hotel show that Paul was capable of tying his shoes properly before getting into the car. And why was he even driving in the first place? He was a security guard after all, not a chauffeur trained to deal with the exceptionally heavy Mercedes.

The questions seemed to pile up. According to U.S. broadcaster CNN, a chauffeur named Olivier Lafaye, who regularly drove the doomed Mercedes, said the car was having problems with its brakes. And then there's the point about the seat belts. Officially, the word was the Diana and Dodi weren't wearing theirs, but journalist Nicholas Davies says he found different information. They were wearing them, but someone had tampered with the bolts. Rumors spread that the French and British secret services were somehow involved, maybe even the CIA. But why? That's remained a secret.

Was she pregnant?

Who could have ordered Diana's death? Some say it was Osama bin Laden. Or maybe Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth's husband. Because as some sources have claimed recently, including the Independent on Sunday newspaper, Diana was pregnant at the time of her death, and was planning to marry Dodi. The palace was apparently up in arms at the thought that the heir to the British throne, Prince William, might have a Muslim half-brother and father-in-law.

And Bin Laden? He was apparently outraged at Diana's role as a confident, modern woman pursuing her own happiness. She was giving women in Islamic countries reason to rebel. But Osama has disappeared, as has the white Fiat Uno or Citroen AX that is thought to have rammed into the Mercedes carrying Dodi and the princess. Traces of paint have been found, but not the car. And not, it seems, the real truth about what happened that night -- at least if you believe the conspiracy theorists.