goods. Suddenly Diana becomes reticent, she continuously interrupts the conversation, implying what is not said.
Diana realizes that Dodi had persuaded her and deceived her, mainly in order to be present at that his appointment with other people. Diana also noticed that these alleged âbusinessmenâ were quite persistent with their decisions, they did not give any choice to Dodi and nor even to her, ignoring her royal rank and her notoriety. Despite the rudeness of the group surrounding her, Diana is persuaded, and the meeting place for the so-called business was established for a little later at the Chez Benoît Restaurant, a bistro on the Rue Saint Martin near the Centre Pompidou and the Hotel de Ville.
1997 Saturday, August 30, 7:00 pm: (From now on the countdown for the couple begins, which in the case of Diana's life will stop completely at 2:00 am). Diana and Dodi leave the Ritz from the main entrance, the bodyguards think the objective is to go dining, even though they are not sure about it and they are unaware of the location anyway.
Outside of Ritz, after being overshadowed by a shouting and jostling crowd of autograph seekers and by many onlookers equipped with cameras and video-cameras, as well as the usual paparazzi army, the couple finally manages to get on their Mercedes (not the same Mercedes of the accident, but the one which was used to drive from the airport and throughout that afternoon). Trevor Rees-Jones is driving and next to him there is another agent. A second security vehicle, a Range Rover, is following them, in its driving seat there is bodyguard Kez Wingflield and by his side another agent.
At that moment the four security officers in the two cars have no idea where Dodi wishes to go, and this concerns them and jeopardizes Lady Diana's personal security. Anyway, Dodi's main intention is to take Diana to his private apartment in Rue Arsène-Houssaye, which is situated right before the Triumph Arch, to change his clothes, and later go to dinner with Diana at Chez Benoît Restaurant.
The pressure of the many paparazzi surrounding and constantly chasing the Mercedes with the intention of photographing Diana, plus the traffic jam on Avenue des Champs-Elysées, which stops them continuously, make all passengers very nervous. From this moment on, for Diana and Dodi both, the numerous and cumbersome presence of paparazzi is not welcome anymore.
During that Saturday, August 30, 1997, local radio and TV stations in Paris have broadcast images of the Princess' recent arrival in the capital all day long. All newspapers of Paris, especially the breaking news of Saturday afternoon, reported with capital letters that Diana was in Paris. The Princess was on everyone's lips.
That afternoon, the entire road traffic on Avenue des Champs-Elysées was jammed by an enormous crowd of onlookers. Several radio stations, television channels and a multitude of photographers and paparazzi were constantly busy taking pictures of the Princess while she was in the Mercedes with her companion Dodi Al-Fayed.
1997 Saturday, 30 August 7:10 pm: The deputy head of security Henri Paul, disappears from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm for a break. Perhaps he has simply gone to dinner? âApart from this book, no other media will ever precisely clarify, where Henri Paul went and what he didâ in those three hours.
On the front pages of almost all newspapers and several radio and TV programs, and on the French local newscast, regional and national, it is announced: «Today Princess Diana is in Paris, staying at the Grand Hotel Ritz». As a consequence Place Vendôme is packed with hundreds of people that have joined the paparazzi army. Even at the rear entrance of Ritz, on Rue Cambon, there are paparazzi lurking.
1997 Saturday, August 30, around 7:35 pm: Upon the couple's arrival on Rue Arsène-Houssaye, a further experience awaits them. A mob of onlookers and paparazzi are waiting for them right outside the door of Dodi's apartment. The Mercedes carrying Diana tries to get closer to the main entrance. Apart from the same security agents who travelled with Dodi and Diana, there seems not to be other security men waiting for them, to assist them or to find them a way through the crowd, or a corridor to the entrance.
After parking the vehicle, Trevor Rees-Jones opens the rear door of the Mercedes, Diana gets out, and she has just the time to touch the ground and get up on her own feet, then she is immediately pressed between the mass of people, which touches her and pushes her from every direction.
Suddenly, a photographer emerges out of the agitated mob pushing his way through it, he audaciously rushes towards Diana and Dodi to take pictures of the couple. Some witnesses will later say that it was the paparazzi Romuald Rat, a 25 year old of a bulky and strong build. The two finally manage to enter Dodi's apartment, where they will stay until 9:35 pm.
1997 Saturday, August 30, 9:35 pm: For the couple it is time to dine at Chez Benoît Restaurant, as previously established by the appointment taken that same afternoon at Ritz. They exit the apartment on Rue Arsène-Houssaye and take sit in that same Mercedes that picked them up from the Bourget airport earlier that day. Dodi tells his driver Trevor Rees-Jones, and another bodyguard sitting next to him, to leave in a hurry, but he does not reveal them accurately where he would like to be taken, even the bodyguard Kez Wingfield and the other security agent accompanying them on a second vehicle are aware of it.
The Mercedes dives into the crowd anyway, around Diana's vehicle, again, there is a buzz of pedestrians, cars, motorcycles and scooters chasing them, honking and constantly approaching the car, slamming their hands on the body and on the glasses, taking pictures, shouting the name of Diana and whatnot. Also along the edges of the secondary roads there are groups of people observing this long and noisy parade.
All of a sudden Dodi tells Trevor to go on Avenue des Champs-Elysées. Over here the congestion is even bigger, the Mercedes is surrounded by many curious and it is barely able to move forward. However, Dodi calls the Ritz and orders his utmost faithful employee: Claude Roulet, manager of Hotel Ritz, to notify the Chez Benoît so that they can arrange a welcome with all the honours, fit for the Princess of Wales. Dodi also asks the manager Roulet to call Henry Paul and to reach him immediately.
After ending the call, Dodi refers Trevor to go to Chez Benoît Restaurant, the bistro on Rue Saint Martin. Shortly after, while the Mercedes is still going, with all the traffic problems caused by the screaming crowd around the vehicle, Dodi, taken by surprise by an angry panic attack, seems to want to suddenly change his mind. The situation is completely out of control.
The mob overcrowding the street scream and clap their hands on the roof and the windows of the Mercedes. The car is constantly blocked by pedestrians, by other cars, by onlookers and by paparazzi. Despite the many reversals driving, the Mercedes does not get anywhere.
The chasing by paparazzi with their cars and motorbikes is becoming more and more obstinate and unbearable; therefore, at some point, considering the continuous insistence and strong complaint of Diana, Dodi decides to cancel everything and to go back to the Ritz. The appointment falls through, they will have dinner at Espadon, the luxurious restaurant inside the Ritz.
1997 Saturday, August 30, around 9:45 pm: Some journalists have confirmed the following: «François Tendil, the man in charge of the evening and night security at the Ritz, contacted Henri Paul, who was off duty that night, and asked him to return immediately to the Ritz to join the team of security agents. The reason: Because of the multitude and the aggressiveness of paparazzi and onlookers that hinder every move of the couple, the four bodyguards have difficulty in protecting Princess Diana».
1997 Saturday, August 30, 9:50 pm: In the meantime Diana and Dodi approach the main entrance of Ritz with their car. And even there, the entrance is packed with paparazzi and people who want to touch Diana.
Besides the doorman (piccolò) and François Tendil, the guy in charge of the night security, there is no other agent to welcome and protect the couple escaping from the assault
