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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Jury sees duke's letters to Diana | Jury sees duke's letters to Diana |
| (10 minutes 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. | The letters were produced to the inquest by the duke's private secretary, Brigadier Sir Miles Hunt-Davis. |
| READ AN EXTRACT Extract of letter from Diana to Prince Philip [45.2 KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here | |
| 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' | '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. | 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." | 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." |
| 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 | 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 |
| 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". | 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". |
| 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." | 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." | 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." | 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." | 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." |
| 'Thoughtful and kind' | 'Thoughtful and kind' |
| Just the beginning and end of each correspondence - from between June and September 1992 - was shown in order to protect the private nature of their full contents. | Just the beginning and end of each correspondence - from between June and September 1992 - was shown in order to protect the private nature of their full contents. |
| Rosa Monckton, a confidante of the princess, told the inquest allegations by Mohamed Al Fayed that she became friendly with Diana so she could pass on information to MI6 were "absolute fantasy". | Rosa Monckton, a confidante of the princess, told the inquest allegations by Mohamed Al Fayed that she became friendly with Diana so she could pass on information to MI6 were "absolute fantasy". |
| Ms Monckton, who met Diana in 1992, said the princess felt isolated from her husband and was very upset about her children. | Ms Monckton, who met Diana in 1992, said the princess felt isolated from her husband and was very upset about her children. |
| "She was convinced her husband was seeing Camilla Parker-Bowles and she didn't see there was any way she could get him back," she said. | "She was convinced her husband was seeing Camilla Parker-Bowles and she didn't see there was any way she could get him back," she said. |
| Ian Burnett QC, counsel for the inquest, said there had been suggestions that Prince Philip wrote "nasty" letters to the princess. | Ian Burnett QC, counsel for the inquest, said there had been suggestions that Prince Philip wrote "nasty" letters to the princess. |
| Ms Monckton replied: "Absolutely not at all. On the contrary, they were very thoughtful, kind, intelligent and considered letters." | Ms Monckton replied: "Absolutely not at all. On the contrary, they were very thoughtful, kind, intelligent and considered letters." |
| She told the inquest: "She said 'I know that he's (Dodi's) going to give me a ring, but that's going to go firmly on a finger on my right hand'." | She told the inquest: "She said 'I know that he's (Dodi's) going to give me a ring, but that's going to go firmly on a finger on my right hand'." |
| Ms Monckton added that there was no way the princess could have been pregnant when she died because she had had her period 10 days before, on a yachting holiday they were on together in the Greek islands. | Ms Monckton added that there was no way the princess could have been pregnant when she died because she had had her period 10 days before, on a yachting holiday they were on together in the Greek islands. |
| 'Marriage problems' | 'Marriage problems' |
| Brig Hunt-Davis said Prince Philip had released a statement to deny press reports about the contents of the letters which was, to his knowledge, the first and last time the duke had done such a thing. | Brig Hunt-Davis said Prince Philip had released a statement to deny press reports about the contents of the letters which was, to his knowledge, the first and last time the duke had done such a thing. |
| He agreed with Mr Burnett that Prince Philip lets press comment "roll off his back". | He agreed with Mr Burnett 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. |