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| Diana letters show love for Dodi | Diana letters show love for Dodi |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Details of letters written by Princess Diana to Dodi Al Fayed have been revealed at the inquest into the couple's deaths. | |
| The princess wrote "with all the love in the world" and of him "bringing such joy" into her life in August 1997. | The princess wrote "with all the love in the world" and of him "bringing such joy" into her life in August 1997. |
| The letters were produced during the cross-examination of Diana's close friend, Rosa Monckton. | |
| In one letter Diana described a gift to Mr Al Fayed - cufflinks which belonged to her father. | In one letter Diana described a gift to Mr Al Fayed - cufflinks which belonged to her father. |
| 'Chick' | 'Chick' |
| On 13 August 1997 the princess wrote about the gift: "Darling Dodi, these cufflinks were the very last gift that I received from the man I loved most in the world, my father. | On 13 August 1997 the princess wrote about the gift: "Darling Dodi, these cufflinks were the very last gift that I received from the man I loved most in the world, my father. |
| "They are given to you as I know how much joy it would give him to know they were in such safe and special hands. Fondest love, from Diana." | "They are given to you as I know how much joy it would give him to know they were in such safe and special hands. Fondest love, from Diana." |
| READ AN EXTRACT Extract from letter from Diana to Dodi [213KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here | READ AN EXTRACT Extract from letter from Diana to Dodi [213KB] Most computers will open this document automatically, but you may need Adobe Reader Download the reader here |
| In a letter from Kensington Palace dated 6 August 1997, Diana thanked Mr Al Fayed for a six-day holiday on his yacht. | In a letter from Kensington Palace dated 6 August 1997, Diana thanked Mr Al Fayed for a six-day holiday on his yacht. |
| She wrote: "This comes with all the love in the world and as always a million heart-felt thanks at bringing such joy into this particular chick's life." | She wrote: "This comes with all the love in the world and as always a million heart-felt thanks at bringing such joy into this particular chick's life." |
| Michael Mansfield QC, who is representing Mr Al Fayed's father Mohamed, produced the letters in an attempt to demonstrate the relationship between Diana and Mr Al Fayed was a serious one. | Michael Mansfield QC, who is representing Mr Al Fayed's father Mohamed, produced the letters in an attempt to demonstrate the relationship between Diana and Mr Al Fayed was a serious one. |
| BBC royal correspondent Nicholas Witchell said over the coming days the inquest would test the conspiracy theories to discover whether there was a motive for anyone to commit murder. | |
| On Thursday Ms Monckton played down the couple's relationship, saying they were not about to get married and that Diana was not pregnant when she died. | On Thursday Ms Monckton played down the couple's relationship, saying they were not about to get married and that Diana was not pregnant when she died. |
| During cross-examination by Mr Mansfield, Ms Monckton broke down in tears. | During cross-examination by Mr Mansfield, Ms Monckton broke down in tears. |
| Diana, Dodi Al Fayed and driver Henri Paul died in a car crash in a Paris road tunnel in August 1997. | Diana, Dodi Al Fayed and driver Henri Paul died in a car crash in a Paris road tunnel in August 1997. |
| Mohamed Al Fayed, the owner of Harrods, has claimed there was a plot involving the Duke of Edinburgh to murder Diana and his son. | Mohamed Al Fayed, the owner of Harrods, has claimed there was a plot involving the Duke of Edinburgh to murder Diana and his son. |
| Previous relationship | Previous relationship |
| Mr Mansfield asked Ms Monckton: "She was treating this relationship with Dodi as a serious matter, wasn't she? It doesn't suggest it was little more than a fling after a couple of days." | Mr Mansfield asked Ms Monckton: "She was treating this relationship with Dodi as a serious matter, wasn't she? It doesn't suggest it was little more than a fling after a couple of days." |
| She replied: "She tended to speak and write in an extravagant way." | She replied: "She tended to speak and write in an extravagant way." |
| But Ms Monckton agreed the letters were not just written to make someone happy: "It was clearly more than that." | But Ms Monckton agreed the letters were not just written to make someone happy: "It was clearly more than that." |
| Ms Monckton denied Diana had finished a relationship with heart surgeon Hasnat Khan because she was in love with Mr Al Fayed. | Ms Monckton denied Diana had finished a relationship with heart surgeon Hasnat Khan because she was in love with Mr Al Fayed. |
| The questioning of friend Rosa Monckton was "close to the line" | The questioning of friend Rosa Monckton was "close to the line" |
| She was asked if Diana had misled her because she was concerned about Ms Monckton's "hostility and animosity" towards Mr Al Fayed. | She was asked if Diana had misled her because she was concerned about Ms Monckton's "hostility and animosity" towards Mr Al Fayed. |
| Ms Monckton said: "She was not misleading me. We talked about it a lot." | Ms Monckton said: "She was not misleading me. We talked about it a lot." |
| She added: "She told me Hasnat would never have her back once the photographs of her with Dodi had appeared and she was very upset about it." | She added: "She told me Hasnat would never have her back once the photographs of her with Dodi had appeared and she was very upset about it." |
| Ms Monckton tearfully described Diana as a "very true and close friend" but said that did not stop the princess from not telling her everything. | Ms Monckton tearfully described Diana as a "very true and close friend" but said that did not stop the princess from not telling her everything. |
| There was a short adjournment to the hearing, after which coroner Lord Justice Scott Baker told Mr Mansfield he had come "fairly close to the line" in his questioning. | There was a short adjournment to the hearing, after which coroner Lord Justice Scott Baker told Mr Mansfield he had come "fairly close to the line" in his questioning. |
| Ms Monckton said Diana regretted her television interview with Martin Bashir in which she described Prince Charles' side as the enemy. | Ms Monckton said Diana regretted her television interview with Martin Bashir in which she described Prince Charles' side as the enemy. |
| Engagement ring | Engagement ring |
| Model Kelly Fisher, a former girlfriend of Dodi Al Fayed, told the inquest she met him in the summer of 1996. | Model Kelly Fisher, a former girlfriend of Dodi Al Fayed, told the inquest she met him in the summer of 1996. |
| She said she had "no doubt" a ring she was given by Mr Al Fayed in February 1997 was because they were engaged to be married. | She said she had "no doubt" a ring she was given by Mr Al Fayed in February 1997 was because they were engaged to be married. |
| Model Kelly Fisher was Dodi Al Fayed's girlfriend before Diana | Model Kelly Fisher was Dodi Al Fayed's girlfriend before Diana |
| Ms Fisher said Mr Al Fayed told her Diana had accepted an invitation for a holiday with the Al Fayed family in Saint-Tropez from 11 to 20 July, 1997. | |
| Ms Fisher said she was under the impression she was going to Saint-Tropez with him but he lied about having to go to London instead. | Ms Fisher said she was under the impression she was going to Saint-Tropez with him but he lied about having to go to London instead. |
| On 6 August she was called by a friend who told her about the publication of a photograph of Diana and Mr Al Fayed kissing. | On 6 August she was called by a friend who told her about the publication of a photograph of Diana and Mr Al Fayed kissing. |
| Ms Fisher said when she spoke to Mr Al Fayed on the phone she taped the conversation, which she would provide to the court. | Ms Fisher said when she spoke to Mr Al Fayed on the phone she taped the conversation, which she would provide to the court. |
| Cross-examined by Mr Mansfield, Ms Fisher said she never wanted to talk about the tape but was tired of people saying she was a liar. | Cross-examined by Mr Mansfield, Ms Fisher said she never wanted to talk about the tape but was tired of people saying she was a liar. |