This tragedy which so shook the world not only took before time Princess Diana, but also the young lives of Dodi Al-Fayed and Henri Paul. Please spare a moment to say a prayer for these two individuals too.
Dodi Al-Fayed - Beloved Son of Mohammed Al-Fayed. Dodi was the current love of Diana's life at the time of this horrific accident. Insiders say that Diana had never been so happy, and it is even sadder that she should be taken a time when she looked as though she had found such joy in her private life.
Henri Paul - Security Chief of the Ritz in Paris and Driver of the fateful car at the time of the accident.
Please also say a prayer for Mr Rees-Jones, the body-guard who is still severely injured in hospital. Reports are few of his condition, but rumours have varied from his loss of tongue to that of brain damage. Whatever his injuries, let us all wish him a speedy recovery, and pray for his quality of life to be returned. Yet another innocent victim of this senseless accident.
Diana, Princess of Wales - Mother and carer. Diana's many charity works were not always recorded, as she did so many of her works out of the public gaze. Continuously hounded by photographers, she became so secretive, that only those closely involved will ever know the true extent of he good works. Her public appearances were only the tip of the iceberg. We have been robbed of a truly amazing person, whose selfless dedication to the causes she saw fit to back will sorely miss her, as will we all.
Time will probably tell the full details of the cause of this incident. Whether it be because of Diver error, either due to excess alcohol or for another reason. The fact remains that Diana and Dodi were anxious not to be photographed by the "Paparazzi", and it was in an attempt to shake off the pursuing photographers on high speed motorbikes that this accident occurred.
I would urge each and every one of you to think carefully before buying another Newspaper or magazine who uses photographs taken of our leading stars which have been taken without their knowledge or permission. These photographs are easy to spot! They are either grainy due to being blown up and having been taken through a long telephoto lens, the subject is totally oblivious to the photograph being taken; or they are photographs where the subject is looking shocked, or shying away, trying to shields their face from the relentless click of a camera's shutter and whir of the motor drive.
If we the paying public demand that paper and magazine editors do not buy publications who use this type of photograph, then demand will die out, and the Paparazzi will have to find another job. Maybe there are other ways to achieve the end, but the best way to stop another tragedy like this from happening is to kill the market for such photos. Why then would they need to be taken?
Maybe there is some way in which such mega-stars as Diana can collaborate better with these Paparazzi. But I do not think people who go to such lengths to get a photo as bribing close contacts, hiring high speed motorbikes or speed-boats, camping out on pavements, taking turns to watch for each other when a call of nature if needed, colluding together and sharing expenses on major coasts such as the speed boat hired to gain access to Dodi and Diana in France; these people will not listen as long as there is a market for their photos.
Paparazzi are like a pack animal; a hyena, tracking down their prey, and relentlessly hounding them until they are not worth photographing any more, or they disappear from public eye PERMANENTLY.
Please, Please, PLEASE, do not allow this kind of tragedy to happen again. Do not support publications who support Paparazzi!!
Greg Hewitt-Long