Prince Charles flew to Paris last night and brought home the body of his 36-year-old former wife, Princess Diana - as France launched a criminal investigation into her death in a car crash.
President Jacques Chirac joined the Prince of Wales for a state ceremony at the hospital where the princess died of massive chest injuries 3.5 hours after the accident in an expressway tunnel by the River Seine.
Charles, accompanied by Diana's two sisters, took delivery of the casket and arrived back in England at 2 am (Hong Kong time).
The prince had woken sons, William, 15, and Harry, who turns 13 on September 15 in the early hours of yesterday to tell them their mother had been killed.
The Paris investigation centres on the role of photographers reported to have been pursuing her and companion Dodi al-Fayed in their Mercedes 600 car. Witnesses told of a high-speed chase.
The Interior Minister said seven photographers were being questioned in custody. Two motorbikes, a motorscooter, film and cameras were seized at the scene.