Royal Watch News
Tony Blair's Diana shock
By BANG
May 16, 2008, 11:10 GMT

Tony Blair struggled to comprehend the death of Britain's Princess Diana minutes after hearing about her fatal car accident.

Blair - who was the country's Prime Minister when Diana's car crashed into pillar 13 of Paris Pont d'Alma tunnel on August 31st 1997 - was stunned by the news, which he received while on holiday with wife Cherie and their children.

Speaking about the moment, Cherie recalled in her autobiography 'Speaking For Myself': "I watched him as he listened, saying nothing. 'A car crash in Paris,' he said eventually. 'She's in a coma. They don't think she'll pull through.'

"All I heard was Tony repeating, 'I can't believe this. I can't believe this.' "

Cherie also revealed the princess had visited them in Chequers - the official country residence of Britain's prime ministers - with her son Prince William shortly before the accident.

Diana - who was also mother to Prince Harry - had played with the Blairs' daughter, Kathryn, and spoken of her desire for more children, particularly a daughter.

Meanwhile, the inquest into the death of Diana has cost British taxpayers £4.41 million.

The inquest concluded on April 7, with a jury returning a verdict the princess and her lover Dodi Fayed had been unlawfully killed by the negligence of their driver Henri Paul and the paparazzi who followed their car.

(C) BANG Media International