Princess Diana had reportedly engaged in a serious altercation with her boyfriend, Dodi Al Fayed, just hours before the Paris car crash that killed them both in 1997.

The claim comes from royal biographer Judy Wade, who told RadarOnline that the confrontation took place on Aug. 30, 1997, as the couple attempted to evade paparazzi while traveling in southern France. Wade characterized the incident as a troubling omen about the tension surrounding the couple during their final hours.

Diana, then 36 years old, was in that limbo of trying to rebuild her life after her divorce from now King Charles III after their 15-year marriage.

According to the Publication, summer 1997 was a period of transition for the princess, traveling to cities like New York, Washington, and St. Tropez to avoid, at all costs, intense public scrutiny in Britain.

Following the painful breakup with heart surgeon Hasnat Khan, Diana accepted an invitation by billionaire Mohamed Al Fayed to spend some time at his villa in St. Tropez with her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. There she met and became romantically involved with Al Fayed's son, Dodi. The romancesent the global media into a frenzy, according to the source, as paparazzi pursued the couple across Europe.

Wade told RadarOnline that Dodi lavished Diana with "fantastically expensive" gifts, in addition to arranging luxury travel- complete with private yachts and jets. Despite the public display, sources close to the report indicated Diana saw the relationship as a mere way to pass time rather than an actual commitment.

The reported argument occurred after Diana and Fayed cut short a trip to Sardinia and traveled to a villa outside Paris owned by Mohamed Al Fayed. During the drive, they were reportedly pursued aggressively by photographers. According to RadarOnline, the chase heightened tensions inside the car about the speed and safety of the drive.

Introducing Wade's account of the altercation, InStyle quoted her recounting the incident: "Diana and Dodi got into a violent fight."

According to the report, witnesses later said Diana looked visibly shaken as she arrived at the villa. RadarOnline further reported she refused to go upstairs and wanted to leave, while her bodyguard recalled that the couple didn't show any affection toward each other.

On Aug. 31, 1997, Diana and Fayed arrived back at Paris. Their car, driven by chauffeur Henri Paul crashed at high speed into a concrete abutment within the Pont de l'Alma tunnel as it pursued photographers. Diana and Fayed were killed.

The bodyguard, Trevor Rees-Jones, survived with grave injury. Speaking to RadarOnline, Wade said the alleged argument drove home the increasing pressure and fear that surrounded Diana in her final hours, offering a new perspective on one of modern royal history's most scrutinized tragedies.

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Princess Diana death, Royal family news