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Diana inquest hearing in public Diana pre-inquest hearing public
(20 minutes later)
The coroner in charge of the Diana inquest has decided to hold a pre-inquest hearing in January in public, rather than in private. The coroner in charge of the Princess Diana inquest has decided to hold a preliminary hearing in January in public, rather than in private.
Mohammed Al Fayed had mounted a legal challenge over making key decisions about the inquest of Princess Diana and his son Dodi in private. Mohammed Al Fayed had mounted a legal challenge over holding the hearing about Diana and his son Dodi privately.
UK law states inquests must be held in public, but early hearings need not be.UK law states inquests must be held in public, but early hearings need not be.
Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed died after the Mercedes in which they were travelling crashed in Paris in 1997. The Judicial Communications Office said Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss had been persuaded to change her mind because of public interest in the case.
"The reasons she had in mind that led her to conclude initially that the meeting should be held in private were entirely pragmatic - such as the size of the courtroom," said a spokesman.
French investigation
Among the matters that will be decided at the hearing include whether a jury will sit on the inquest.
It would be made up of members of the Royal Household as Diana was still considered a member of the Royal Family when she died.
Lady Butler-Sloss will also decide on whether the princess and Dodi Al Fayed's inquests will be held jointly or separately.
Lady Butler-Sloss was appointed to her new role after the Coroner of the Queen's Household, Michael Burgess, stepped down from the task in July.
Diana, 36, and Mr Fayed, 42, were killed along with chauffeur Henri Paul when their Mercedes crashed in the Pont d'Alma tunnel in Paris in 1997.
They were pursued by paparazzi photographers after leaving the Ritz Hotel for Mr Fayed's apartment.
A two-year investigation in France blamed Mr Paul for losing control of the car because he had drunk alcohol and had taken prescription drugs and was driving too fast.