How did Princess Diana die? (And will her death be covered in The Crown season 5?)

The Crown season 5 is just a day away, and fans of the Netflix historical drama are ready to start binging the drama-filled episodes. Like with previous seasons, some of the key actors will be replaced as we jump ahead further into the history of the British Monarchy. The new season will follow Prince Charles’ marriage to Princess Diana heavily again, and as always, it’ll continue to cover Queen Elizabeth II’s reign.

Apart from all the romances, feuds, and infidelities we see from the real-life history of the Royal Family, there’s also a terrible tragedy that is bound to come up soon in the show. As those who follow the family will know, Princess Diana sadly passed away in August 1997 in a car accident. She was 36 years old at the time and her two sons, Prince William, and Prince Harry, were only 15 and 12, respectively.

Princess Diana’s cause of death

Princess Diana was taken from the world too soon, as was her boyfriend Dodi Fayed and their driver Henri Paul, who also died in the car crash. Diana’s bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones was the sole survivor, though he suffered a serious head injury. The fatal crash occurred on Aug. 31, 1997 in Paris, France, when Diana’s driver was speeding away from relentless paparazzi.

While trying to get away from the paparazzi, the car slammed into a pillar and flipped into coming traffic. While Dodi and Henri died instantly, Diana was taken by ambulance to the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital where she passed away from the injuries sustained in the accident.

The media was trying to take photos of Diana and her new boyfriend, which clearly had deadly consequences. It was later discovered that the driver was over the alcohol limit and reportedly, neither Diana nor Dondi were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. It’s truly a shame what transpired.

Will we see Princess Diana’s death in The Crown season 5?

The Crown season 5 will see actress Elizabeth Debicki fill in for Emma Corrin in the role of Princess Diana, as we watch her marriage to Prince Charles crumble. The new episodes will take place throughout the 1990s, though we don’t know what year the finale will be in. However, we do know that Debicki will be back to play Diana again in The Crown season 6, proving her death will not take place in the fifth season.

During an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Debicki was asked about how Princess Diana’s final days and deaths will be handled, considering it’s still such a sensitive topic. “I’ll say that [creator Peter Morgan] and the entire crew of this job do their utmost to really handle everything with such sensitivity and truth and complexity, as do actors,” she shared. EW says the actress is currently filming season 6.

So The Crown season 6, which will mark the final season of the Netflix Original, will be the one to follow Diana’s death and the aftermath. That said, it’s been reported that her death will not be depicted on-screen, but rather we’ll be seeing the moments leading up to it and the fallout afterward. Many would agree that’s for the best.

You can stream all 10 episodes of The Crown season 5 this Wednesday, Nov. 9, 2022.