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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Jury sees duke's letters to Diana | Jury sees duke's letters to Diana |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Letters between Princess Diana and the Duke of Edinburgh have been shown to the jury at the inquest into her death. | Letters between Princess Diana and the Duke of Edinburgh have been shown to the jury at the inquest into her death. |
| 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. | 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. |
| The princess replied that she disagreed and wrote that Philip was "very modest" about his marriage guidance skills. | The princess replied that she disagreed and wrote that Philip was "very modest" about his marriage guidance skills. |
| Mohamed Al Fayed has claimed the duke was behind a plot to murder Diana and his son Dodi before they got married. | Mohamed Al Fayed has claimed the duke was behind a plot to murder Diana and his son Dodi before they got married. |
| Diana and Dodi Al Fayed died in a car crash in a Paris road tunnel in August 1997. | Diana and Dodi Al Fayed died in a car crash in a Paris road tunnel in August 1997. |
| 'Particularly touched' | 'Particularly touched' |
| The letters were produced to the inquest by the duke's private secretary, Brigadier Sir Miles Hunt-Davis. | |
| 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!!!" | 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!!!" |
| 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. | 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. | "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." | "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." |
| 'Curtail relationship' | |
| Michael Mansfield QC, representing Harrods owner Mr Al Fayed, asked Brig Hunt-Davis if he ever heard of an alleged fear of Diana's that Prince Philip wanted her dead. | |
| The brigadier replied: "I did not ever hear that. And in view of the correspondence we have seen today, I am very surprised that it was even suggested." | |
| Mr Mansfield suggested that the Royal Family was concerned at Diana "cavorting on a yacht in the Mediterranean with the son of somebody who was regarded as undesirable". | |
| 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 Brig Hunt-Davis | |
| Brig Hunt-Davis said: "The divorce was in August 1996. The lady concerned ceased to be a member of the Royal Family. That is all I am going to say." | |
| Mr Mansfield continued: "I suggest that by the end of August (1997) there was a desire by the establishment that this relationship and her activities should be curtailed." | |
| Brig Hunt-Davis said he "could not accept that." | |
| He added: "There was no indication whatever from my experience. I admit my experience is limited, but I can't believe that was the case." | |
| Private nature | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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. | 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." | 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' | 'Marriage problems' |
| He agreed with Ian Burnett QC, counsel for the inquest, that Prince Philip lets press comment "roll off his back". | 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. | "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. | 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." | "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. | 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. | 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. |