FACT CHECK: Photo Of Princess Diana Originates From 1997, Not 2024
A photo shared on Facebook allegedly shows a recent photo of Princess Diana, claiming that she is still alive.
Verdict: False
The photo is not recent. It was taken originally in January 1997, several months prior to her death. The photo was edited to make her appear older.
Fact Check:
Prince William and Prince Harry are not to inherit Diana’s childhood home, but it will instead go to her nephew Louis, the son of the current Earl Spencer, according to The Mirror. Diana was buried at the estate, which opens to visitors every summer, the outlet reported.
A Facebook image appears to show Diana giving a speech at a podium. The photo shows her with wrinkles and sagging skin, apparently due to aging.
“BREAKING NEWS LADY DIANA HAS RETURNED AND HAS CONFIRMED THAT SHE IS ALIVE THIS IS A PHOTO OF HER FROM TODAY TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 2024,” the post reads.
The picture was taken prior to Diana’s death, however. She died at age in a car crash on August 31, 1997 at the age of 36, according to NPR. The picture of Diana can be seen in a 2017 article from USA Today, which indicates it was taken in January 1997.
It can also be found on AP Newsroom with the caption, “Diana, Princess of Wales, delivers a speech, Monday Jan. 13, 1997, after her arrival at the Luanda International airport in Angola. Princess Diana is visiting Angola in an effort to create awareness about land-mines and will also be visiting victims of the device.” The Facebook image was altered to give Diana more prominent wrinkles, which are not seen in the original photo.
Check Your Fact has contacted a spokesperson for the Royal Family for comment and will update this piece accordingly if one is received. (RELATED: No, Princess Diana Is Not Alive And With Trump)
This is not the first time a claim about a prominent figure has been shared online. Check Your Fact recently debunked France24 reported on an assassination attempt on French President Macron.