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Diana inquest not to call Philip | Diana inquest not to call Philip |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The Duke of Edinburgh will not be called to give evidence at the inquest into the death of Princess Diana, the coroner has stated. | The Duke of Edinburgh will not be called to give evidence at the inquest into the death of Princess Diana, the coroner has stated. |
Lord Justice Scott Baker also said the Queen should not be asked to answer questions posed by Michael Mansfield QC, representing Mohammed Al Fayed. | Lord Justice Scott Baker also said the Queen should not be asked to answer questions posed by Michael Mansfield QC, representing Mohammed Al Fayed. |
He said: "Neither step will in my judgement further the inquest process." | He said: "Neither step will in my judgement further the inquest process." |
Mr Al Fayed has claimed Prince Philip and MI6 were behind a plot to murder Diana and Mr Al Fayed's son, Dodi. | Mr Al Fayed has claimed Prince Philip and MI6 were behind a plot to murder Diana and Mr Al Fayed's son, Dodi. |
Lord Justice Scott Baker ruled: "In my judgment it is not expedient to call the Duke of Edinburgh to give evidence, nor do I think the Queen should be asked to answer the questions posed by Mr Mansfield." | Lord Justice Scott Baker ruled: "In my judgment it is not expedient to call the Duke of Edinburgh to give evidence, nor do I think the Queen should be asked to answer the questions posed by Mr Mansfield." |
Mr Al Fayed was said to be "extremely disappointed" and considering the possibility of a judicial review of the ruling. | |
"He hopes the coroner will make publicly known his reasons for the decisions," said his spokeswoman Katharine Witty. | |
'No conspiracy' | 'No conspiracy' |
Earlier at the High Court hearing, Mr Al Fayed's former spokesman Michael Cole denied that he had been part of a plot to pervert the truth. | Earlier at the High Court hearing, Mr Al Fayed's former spokesman Michael Cole denied that he had been part of a plot to pervert the truth. |
Mr Cole asked Richard Horwell QC, for the Metropolitan Police, to take back an "implication" that he had been involved in a conspiracy. | Mr Cole asked Richard Horwell QC, for the Metropolitan Police, to take back an "implication" that he had been involved in a conspiracy. |
"I do not ask for apologies but I would like that to be withdrawn. I was not and I am not," he said. | "I do not ask for apologies but I would like that to be withdrawn. I was not and I am not," he said. |
He waited for a response but there was silence in the courtroom until Mr Cole said: "I hear nothing." | He waited for a response but there was silence in the courtroom until Mr Cole said: "I hear nothing." |
Mr Cole was making a second appearance in the witness box to answer allegations which had been made by later witnesses. | Mr Cole was making a second appearance in the witness box to answer allegations which had been made by later witnesses. |
Ben Murrell, security manager at Harrods owner Mr Al Fayed's Paris home, has told the jury he was encouraged to embellish details of Diana and Dodi's relationship. | Ben Murrell, security manager at Harrods owner Mr Al Fayed's Paris home, has told the jury he was encouraged to embellish details of Diana and Dodi's relationship. |
The couple, and their driver Henri Paul, were killed in a car crash in a Paris road tunnel in the early hours of 31 August 1997. | The couple, and their driver Henri Paul, were killed in a car crash in a Paris road tunnel in the early hours of 31 August 1997. |
Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police has said it will not launch a perjury investigation into ex-royal butler Paul Burrell until the inquest, expected to last until April, concludes. | |
The coroner had asked him to explain discrepancies between his evidence and reports in the Sun newspaper. Mr Burrell denies any wrongdoing. |