On August 31, 1997, Princess Diana’s final hours in Paris marked the end of an extraordinary era for the royal family and the world. Yet amid the overwhelming shock and grief, one incredible story of human resilience quietly began: the survival of Trevor Rees-Jones.
As the sole survivor of that fateful night, (Diana, her reported boyfriend, Dodi al Fayed and driver Henri Paul all perished), the former bodyguard faced a daunting road back to health, and extreme public scrutiny.
Princess Diana’s Bodyguard, Where He is Today
GettyTwenty-nine years after the car accident that extinguished the bright flame of Princess Diana’s life, her former bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones, has quietly built a remarkably grounded second act far away from the royal family spotlight.
According to People Magazine, Jones has carved out a path placing him worlds away from what occurred that unforgettable night. After the events of August 31, 1997, he continued to work in security, returning to work for the Fayed family after a six month recovery period where he healed from an 11-hour facial reconstructive surgery.
In April 1998 he resigned from working for the Fayeds. The Daily Mail reported that Jones subsequently worked in a security role for the United Nations. Later, he held a role at the oil services company Halliburton. Jones also served as the global head of security at AstraZeneca.
The Sun quoted a source who said, “His life is quiet and uneventful now. He certainly doesn’t court publicity or speak much about it. He’s tried to move on and get on with his life.”
Trevor Rees-Jones Sustained Life Threatening Injuries in the Crash
GettySurgeon Luc Chikhani operated on Trevor Rees-Jones after the crash of August 31, 1997. He shared how he tended to the bodyguard’s injuries to the BBC.
He explained, “I have never seen so many fractures on a man who was still alive. There was hope. The face was completely smashed with many different fractures, it was amazingly crushed.” Jones’ face was completely rebuilt, per Chikhani, using photographs taken before the accident as a surgery model.
Reese-Jones was cleared of any wrongdoing in the accident via Operation Paget, a three-year inquiry into Diana’s passing. The inquest lasted more than three months and heard from 250 witnesses. It was created to investigate claims by Dodi’s father, Mohamed Al Fayed, that the 1997 incident was the result of a conspiracy rather than a car accident.
Reese-Jones told The Guardian, “I am confident in myself of what I did. I am confident that I did as much as I could do in that situation. I’ve got to look in the mirror every day and be confident with the actions I took that night. And I’m happy to do that now.”
Although he only had a professional relationship with Diana, he spoke highly of the Princess of Wales. He added, “What surprised me was how ordinary and natural she was. She was the sort of lady I’d be willing to take down the pub. That’s as big a compliment as I can say.”
