Who Is Trevor Rees-Jones, The Bodyguard Who Was With Princess Diana When She Died?

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links."

On August 31, 1997, Princess Diana—the former wife of then-Prince Charles, and at the that time one of the most famous figures in the world—was killed in a car accident in Paris. Along with the princess, there were three other people in the car; the driver, Henri Paul, Diana's boyfriend Dodi Al Fayed, and Trevor Rees-Jones, the bodyguard who was watching over Diana and Dodi that night. Of the four, only Rees-Jones survived the incident.

In the intervening years, Rees-Jones has, understandably, been the focus of a great deal of attention, and with the latest season of The Crown once more turning attention toward the death of the beloved princess, many are bound to be wondering about the real life bodyguard who was one of the last people to spend time with the royal.

Here's what we know about Trevor Rees-Jones:

Rees-Jones reportedly grew up in Oswestry, the second of three boys by his British Army surgeon father and nurse mother. According to The Independent, Rees-Jones earned a degree in sport and biological science, and once served as a member of the 1st Battalion the Parachute Regiment. With them, he served "at least one tour of duty" in Ulster, Northern Ireland, and received the General Service Medal.

In 1995, he married Sue Jones (previously, Rees-Jones's name had been Trevor Rees, but he added his wife's surname upon their marriage) a former buyer for Harrods, where Rees-Jones was employed as part of the security force for Mohamed Al Fayed, the department's store's owner, and father of Dodi Al Fayed. The couple later divorced.

Rees-Jones began working for Fayed in 1994, though he was reportedly so private about his professional life that few knew the nature of his job.

During the summer of 1997, Rees-Jones first met Princess Diana when the royal and her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, vacationed on the Fayed family yacht. He told The Irish Times in 2000 that the princess was, "a woman you could take down the pub, and from me, that's a pretty high compliment."

He was evidently surprised to discover that Diana and Dodi had begun a relationship over the course of the summer, recalling to 60 Minutes, "Well, they obviously enjoyed talking to each other when I saw them. They were of similar age and they seemed to get on well, but I didn't realize that it got any further than just pleasant chatting when they were out with the families."

In the same interview, he also contended that Dodi and Diana never bought an engagement ring—one of the persistent rumors that followed in the wake of the Paris crash.

Shortly after midnight on August 31, 1997, Rees-Jones accompanied the princess and Dodi as they left the Ritz Hotel (also owned by Mohamed Al Fayed) where they'd had a late dinner. Rees-Jones sat in the front of the car with driver Henri Paul, while Diana and Dodi sat in the back.

Rees-Jones has consistently stated that he has little to no memory of the events directly surrounding the crash. Post-mortem tests later revealed that Paul had a blood alcohol content three times the legal limit, per the AP, and while Rees-Jones has not disputed the findings, he has asserted that Paul must not have been visibly drunk or he would have intervened.

From the Ritz, the car was swiftly pursued by paparazzi into the Pont de l’Alma traffic tunnel, where it ultimately crashed against a pillar. Reports have varied over the years, suggesting that Rees-Jones may have been the only member of the party wearing a seat belt, but later findings indicate that he was not utilizing the safety equipment either.

Information suggests that both Dodi and Henri Paul were killed in the crash itself, while Rees-Jones and Diana were seriously injured. Both were taken to Hospital La Pitié Salpêtrière, where Diana was declared dead several hours later. Rees-Jones remained sedated for several weeks after the accident as he underwent treatment for severe head and chest injuries including a full facial reconstruction.

Following his release from the hospital, Rees-Jones returned to work for Harrods for time, but ultimately left the position in 1998, later saying that he had felt pressured by Mohamed Al Fayed to recall the night of the accident.

Fayed himself made a variety of claims over the years about Rees-Jones, including holding him personally responsible for the crash and suggesting that the bodyguard had been given a job in United Nations security in exchange for his silence on the matter. The latter claim was dismissed by Operation Paget, the 2004 police inquiry that investigated conspiracy theories surrounding Diana's death; the investigation also concluded that there was no evidence that Rees-Jones remembered the crash.

"I just consider it as an avoidable accident," he told the Irish Times. "That a mistake was made by Henri Paul to get behind the wheel of the car when he knew that he had been drinking. Not declaring either to us or to Dodi that he wasn't fit to drive. That was the mistake. I have accepted the finding. It was a simple drink-driving accident caused by speed. And that is what it was."

In 2000 memoir, Rees-Jones published his account of the situation in The Bodyguard's Story: Diana, the Crash, and the Sole Survivor. He reportedly went on to work as security director for the oil company Halliburton and at pharmaceutical manufacturer AstraZeneca. In 2003, he married teacher Ann Scott, with whom he shares two children. As of 2022, he was apparently living in Oswestry, where he grew up, and has largely stayed out of the spotlight.

You Might Also Like

• 12 Weekend Getaway Spas For Every Type of Occasion

• 13 Beauty Tools to Up Your At-Home Facial Game