Over 20 years after Princess Diana’s tragic death, the scene of one of her final photos has now met its own demise.
A yacht that Princess Diana used as her so-called “love boat” with Dodi Al-Fayed has sunk.
Called Cujo, the yacht reportedly developed a hole after it struck an unidentified object off Beaulieu-sur-Mer on the French Riviera, according to the Times of London.
Cujo’s owner is an Italian with a home on the Riviera.
Seven people were on board at the time of the accident, but they were rescued and unharmed.
The yacht sank and is at the bottom of the Mediterranean.
Princess Diana with Prince Harry jet skiing near the yacht in 1997. Getty Images
Diana vacationing on the yacht in 1997. WireImage
Diana got involved with Dodi one year after her 1996 divorce from then-Prince Charles. Getty Images“The skipper of the Cujo issued a mayday,” local police said, according to the Daily Mail. “His ship was sinking due to a leak. Rescue boats were sent from Antibes and, after making sure everyone was safe, gendarmes detected a significant water leak at the level of the starboard front hull. Her owner had activated the pumps and kept the engines running, but this didn’t stop the boat sinking.”
Cujo became famous in 1997 when Diana was photographed on board with her millionaire film producer boyfriend, Fayed – just a few weeks before their fatal car crash in Paris on Aug. 31, 1997.
The couple’s photos on the luxury boat were their first pictures together. Those photos sparked the tabloid furor around Diana and Fayed.
A photo of Diana on the boat was one of the final images taken before her death at 36.
One of the last known photos of Diana was taken on the yacht. UK Press via Getty Images
Diana with Dodi in 1997. WireImageAccording to the Times of London, the yacht was built in Italy in 1972 for John von Neumann, a businessman who made his fortune selling Porsche and Volkswagen cars. After von Neumann, Cujo was then owned by the son of arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi, before it ended up in the hands of his cousin, Fayed.
Diana with Dodi aboard the yacht. Best Image / BACKGRID
Diana in 1996. Getty ImagesFayed moored the yacht off St-Tropez, where he hosted the rich and famous – such as Brooke Shields, Clint Eastwood, and Diana.
After Fayed’s death, the yacht fell into disrepair and sold at auction to its current owner for $250,000 in 2020.
French reports imply that Cujo was not in good condition at the time it sank, and regularly had maintenance problems.
Diana’s death will controversially be depicted in the sixth and final season of Netflix’s hit royal drama, “The Crown.” Khalid Abdalla will play Fayed. The season premiere is slated for sometime this fall.
Prince William and Kate Middleton’s first meeting and early days will also be depicted.
