Book Review: The Bodyguard's Story

Reviewed By: Luke Croll - RAM

The Bodyguard's Story     Amazon UK HC
Trevor Rees-Jones , Moira Johnston
Class/Genre:   Non-Fiction   AutoBiography
Little, Brown and Company, 2000, £16.99

When Diana, Princess of Wales died in August 1997 in a Parisian tunnel, her death stunned the world. Only one person survived the horrendous crash that also took the lives of the driver and Dodi Al Fayed - their bodyguard Trevor Rees-Jones. This book is his version of events leading up to the accident, and his life after it.

Rees-Jones' story is an interesting one, told through a mixture of his thoughts and a narrative. He goes to great lengths to show how his life worked before the crash, during his hospital stay and his status now. He portrays Mohammed Al Fayed as a man driven to the brink by the accident that shocked the nation and although we are shocked by his naiveté, since we can see the whole picture, his loyalty to his boss is understandable.

Photos are included, from pictures of Dodi and Diana to the wrecked Mercedes in the tunnel under the Place d'Alma. For those that want to know exactly what happened on that fateful night, Rees-Jones' account only goes as far as entering the car as they started on that journey. After that point, he can remember nothing. Despite this lacuna, 'The Bodyguard's Story' is an interesting read that tries to clear up some of the myths and conflicting stories that arose, telling it from another perspective to the newspapers or the Fayed family. If you were at all interested by what happened in August 1997, then you ought to read this book.

Luke Croll - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Luke Croll - RAM

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