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Diana coroner rejects Queen call | Diana coroner rejects Queen call |
(about 1 hour later) | |
The coroner for Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed's inquests has said he will not involve the Queen or the Duke of Edinburgh in the case at this stage. | |
Lord Justice Scott Baker said it was neither "appropriate or necessary" now but he would review his position. | Lord Justice Scott Baker said it was neither "appropriate or necessary" now but he would review his position. |
He was responding to requests made by Michael Mansfield QC, for Dodi's father Mohammed Al Fayed, at a hearing ahead of the inquests due in October. | |
Diana and Dodi died in a car crash in Paris in 1997. | |
'Powers at work' | |
Mr Mansfield had asked the coroner to urge Prince Philip to "answer inquiries" and the Queen to agree to be a "potential witness". | Mr Mansfield had asked the coroner to urge Prince Philip to "answer inquiries" and the Queen to agree to be a "potential witness". |
But Lord Justice Scott Baker told the High Court hearing: "It doesn't seem to me that any further inquiries at this stage would be appropriate or necessary." | But Lord Justice Scott Baker told the High Court hearing: "It doesn't seem to me that any further inquiries at this stage would be appropriate or necessary." |
Mr Mansfield said he wanted the Queen to be asked about a conversation she allegedly had with former royal butler Paul Burrell, referring to "other forces or powers at work within the state". | |
He also raised the issue of the duke allegedly sending what one witness described as "nasty" letters to the princess. | |
Mr Mansfield said the Metropolitan Police inquiry into the deaths - whcih concluded they were a tragic accident - did not make any of these inquiries. | |
It also emerged that Diana's original note to Mr Burrell containing claims that her husband was "planning an accident in my car" had been obtained for the inquest. | |
Mr Al Fayed, owner of Harrods department store, alleges the crash was part of a secret plot by the British establishment. | |
Lord Justice Scott Baker replaced Baroness Butler-Sloss in June when she stepped down saying she lacked the experience required to deal with an inquest with a jury. |