Princess Diana's 'Definitive Truth' Sealed by France Until 2082: Cover-Up Fears

RadarOnline.com reveals Princess Diana's secret Paris crash files will remain locked away until 2082, sparking fears of a cover-up as the 30th anniversary of her death approaches in 2027. The 6,000-page dossier, compiled by French police in 2007 after an 18-month probe into the 1997 crash that killed Diana, 36, and Dodi Al Fayed, 42, is stored in the basement archives of the Palais de Justice in Paris.

The documents are tightly guarded by armed officers and protected under article L213-2 of France's heritage code, which bars public access to certain national files for 75 years. Because the dossier was finalised in 2007, it will not be available until 2082 at the earliest, and sources say French authorities could extend the restriction indefinitely.

'This Secrecy Stinks of a Cover Up'

The existence of the dossier was confirmed only after repeated requests to access it from RadarOnline.com.

A Palais de Justice spokesperson explained, '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'. They also added that 'there is no online version of this archive.

A source who has seen part of the files said, 'This secrecy stinks of a cover-up and conspiracy at the highest level, and is typical of French bureaucracy'.

As 2027 approaches, marking three decades since Diana's fatal crash in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel, those connected to the original investigation warn that keeping the dossier hidden may fuel suspicion rather than calm it.

A legal source familiar with the archives told us, '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'.

Diana Crash Files: Vanished Before the Inquest About Lady Di's Death

In 2007, French authorities claimed the entire dossier had been 'lost' just weeks before the $17million British inquest into Diana's death began.

That inquest concluded the princess and her rumored lover Dodi Al Fayed had been unlawfully killed due to grossly negligent driving by paparazzi and chauffeur Henri Paul, who also died in the crash.

Only one person from the crash survived, and it was Lady Diana's former bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones. However, he suffered catastrophic injuries.

Sources revealed the French file, compiled by 30 police officers, contains thousands of pages of evidence. This includes around 200 witness statements, toxicology reports for Paul, previously unseen crash-scene photographs, and interviews from one of the largest legal investigations in modern French history.

Lawyer Jean-Louis Pelletier, who represented paparazzo Fabrice Chassery, said in 2007 when he requested access, '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'.

Partial photocopies were later given to Lord Stevens, who led the British investigation into Diana's death, but the original documents – the only version admissible in any future court proceedings – remain sealed.

In 2006, French authorities also revealed photographs showing Diana and Dodi at the crash scene had disappeared. A British lawyer commented, 'It is scarcely believable that such crucial evidence could be lost just weeks before the inquest.'

The ongoing secrecy has reignited public fascination and speculation. With the 30th anniversary looming, calls for transparency are likely to grow, as the world continues to question the events of that fateful night in Paris and the roles played by the Royal Family, paparazzi, and Dodi Al Fayed.