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Officer 'probed Diana suspicions' Jury sees duke's letters to Diana
(41 minutes later)
A detective leading the UK inquiry into the death of Princess Diana asked French police if they had found anything suspicious, an inquest heard. Letters between Princess Diana and the Duke of Edinburgh have been shown to the jury at the inquest into her death.
Police liaison officer Nick Gargan said Det Supt Jeffrey Rees would not bring up the issue without fail but would ask the question "periodically". In one, Prince Philip said he would do his best to help Prince Charles and Diana but admitted he had "no talents" as a marriage counsellor.
Mr Gargan said it was a theme of the investigation that people would ask whether there was anything suspicious. The princess replied that she disagreed and wrote that Philip was "very modest" about his marriage guidance skills.
Diana and Dodi Al Fayed died in a Paris car crash in August 1997. Mohamed Al Fayed has claimed the duke was behind a plot to murder Diana and his son Dodi before they got married.
Crash information Diana and Dodi Al Fayed died in a car crash in a Paris road tunnel in August 1997.
Mr Gargan, who was based at the British Embassy in Paris, acted as an intermediary between UK and French detectives. 'Particularly touched'
Michael Mansfield QC, representing Mr Fayed's father Mohamed Al Fayed, alleged that Mr Rees repeatedly asked whether they had found anything suspicious. The letters were produced to the inquest by the Duke's private secretary, Brigadier Sir Miles Hunt-Davis.
Mr Gargan said: "I don't remember it being a specific point he would bring up without fail, but I do remember that it was a question that he would ask periodically." Prince Philip wrote: "If invited, I will always do my utmost to help you and Charles to the best of my ability, but I am quite ready to concede that I have no talents as a marriage counsellor!!!"
He said he did not think Det Supt Rees had been given any information over allegations that Diana thought she would be killed in a car crash but was "not absolutely sure". Diana replied: "Dearest Pa, I was particularly touched by your most recent letter which proved to me, if I didn't already know it, that you really do care.
"You are very modest about your marriage guidance skills and I disagree with you.
"This latest letter of yours showed great understanding and tact and I hope to be able to draw on your advice in the months ahead."
Private nature
The coroner, Lord Justice Scott Baker, said the letters did not disclose anything to support suggestions that they contained "unpleasant, nasty or insulting" material.
Therefore just the beginning and end of each letter was shown in order to protect the private nature of their contents.
The correspondence consisted of Prince Philip's typewritten letters and Diana's handwritten replies between June and September 1992.
Brig Hunt-Davis said the duke had released a statement saying that he had not written anything to the princess "which was in the least way" as described in press reports.
When asked whether it was common for the duke to release such a statement, the brigadier replied: "To my knowledge, it was the first time it has ever happened - and the last."
'Marriage problems'
He agreed with Ian Burnett QC, counsel for the inquest, that Prince Philip lets press comment "roll off his back".
"That's absolutely right, yes, but he took exceptionally a different view in this case," he said.
He added: "There is not a single derogatory term in the correspondence.
"The general feeling throughout was of a father-in-law doing his very best to help his daughter-in-law resolve the problems that she and the Prince of Wales were having with their marriage."
Earlier, the inquest heard that the detective leading the British investigation into the death of Diana asked French police if they had found anything suspicious.
Police liaison officer Nick Gargan, based at the British Embassy in Paris, said he did not remember it being a specific point that Det Supt Jeffrey Rees would bring up without fail, but it was a question that he would ask periodically.
The hearing continues.The hearing continues.