How to handle Princess Diana’s death put two senior members of the royal family at odds with the other.

Princess Diana and King Charles were only officially divorced for one year when she was killed in a car crash in Paris, France, in August 1997. However, Charles was adamant about accompanying his ex-wife’s body home to London. He defied Queen Elizabeth, who disagreed with his decision, to fly to Paris as one final gesture toward his wife of 15 years and the woman who changed the face of the royal family forever.

Why did King Charles insist on accompanying Princess Diana’s body home from Paris?

As the then heir to the British throne, King Charles was a prominent member of the royal family and a figure of public interest. Princess Diana’s death was a significant event that garnered worldwide attention and media coverage.

Charles’s decision to accompany her body could have been influenced by the expectations of the public and the royal family to demonstrate a sense of unity and respect in the face of tragedy. However, Queen Elizabeth appeared to have other ideas.

ABC News reported that Queen Elizabeth believed Princess Diana deserved no special treatment; Charles warned that the people wouldn’t stand for that. He insisted that his former wife be honored and defied the monarch, using the royal family plane for the sad trip.

Charles flew to Paris with Diana’s sisters, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes, to bring Diana’s body home. He was also instrumental in planning her funeral.

King Charles’s defiance of Queen Elizabeth’s beliefs was both ‘surprising’ and ‘bold’

King Charles, Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth photographed in 1981 | Fox Photos/Getty Images

Publicly, King Charles rarely bucked Queen Elizabeth’s wishes. However, he felt his late wife deserved to be treated with respect because she was a former member of the monarchy and the mother of Prince William and Prince Harry.

Diana’s death was a significant event that garnered worldwide attention and media coverage. Charles’s decision to accompany her body may have been influenced by both the expectations of the public and the royal family to demonstrate a sense of unity and respect in the face of tragedy.

Journalist Richard Kay discussed Charles’ disagreement with the queen in the documentary Diana: 7 Days That Shook the Windsors. He said, “This was a surprising and brave move.”

“He was an ex-husband and had no right to be there other than as the father of her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. Charles wanted to take the royal flight to Paris, but the Queen wouldn’t allow it. Charles fought harder for Diana than he had ever fought for her in her lifetime.”

Which royal plane used to bring Princess Diana’s body back to London?

The plane used to bring Princess Diana’s body back to London from Paris was called No. 32 Squadron. For years before Diana’s death, it was used to fly royalty and British prime ministers.

Diana’s coffin was draped in the Royal Standard at the prince’s request. When the plane arrived at RAF Northolt, Diana was taken to a private mortuary. She was moved to St James’s Palace, then Kensington Palace.

On Sept. 1, 1997, the jet flew its last official journey as part of the royal family’s fleet of airplanes, reported Express. A plaque honoring the late Princess of Wales was placed in the plane’s hold to mark the sad moment.

Princess Diana died in a car crash in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris, France, on Aug. 31, 1997, alongside her partner, Dodi al Fayed, and driver, Henri Paul. Passenger Trevor Rees-Jones was the only survivor. Diana is buried on the grounds of Althorp Estate, her family’s ancestral home.