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'No suggestion' of Diana murder | 'No suggestion' of Diana murder |
(19 minutes later) | |
French police investigating the car crash which killed Princess Diana never suggested it was anything other than a tragic accident, her inquest has heard. | French police investigating the car crash which killed Princess Diana never suggested it was anything other than a tragic accident, her inquest has heard. |
Retired Scotland Yard Detective Chief Superintendent Jeff Rees acted as the main liaison with officers in Paris. | Retired Scotland Yard Detective Chief Superintendent Jeff Rees acted as the main liaison with officers in Paris. |
He said he repeatedly asked them about the possibility of foul play, but "the answer was always an unequivocal 'No'". | |
Earlier, a friend of Diana's said she had insisted she needed marriage to Dodi Al Fayed "like a rash on my face". | Earlier, a friend of Diana's said she had insisted she needed marriage to Dodi Al Fayed "like a rash on my face". |
Lady Annabel Goldsmith, 73, said Diana was having a "wonderful" time with Mr Al Fayed and felt "she had never been so spoiled", but an engagement was not planned. | Lady Annabel Goldsmith, 73, said Diana was having a "wonderful" time with Mr Al Fayed and felt "she had never been so spoiled", but an engagement was not planned. |
Diana and Mr Al Fayed were killed along with their driver Henri Paul in a car crash in Paris in 1997. | Diana and Mr Al Fayed were killed along with their driver Henri Paul in a car crash in Paris in 1997. |
'Buried before sunset' | 'Buried before sunset' |
Mr Al Fayed's father Mohamed believes his son and Diana were murdered by the security services because she was pregnant. | Mr Al Fayed's father Mohamed believes his son and Diana were murdered by the security services because she was pregnant. |
But Mr Rees told the High Court that neither Mr Al Fayed nor his security chief said or implied to him that the deaths had been caused deliberately. | But Mr Rees told the High Court that neither Mr Al Fayed nor his security chief said or implied to him that the deaths had been caused deliberately. |
I said to her laughably, 'You are not going to do anything silly are you?' Lady Annabel Goldsmith | I said to her laughably, 'You are not going to do anything silly are you?' Lady Annabel Goldsmith |
Mr Rees was in charge of organising activities at Fulham mortuary where the couple's bodies were taken after being returned to the UK. | Mr Rees was in charge of organising activities at Fulham mortuary where the couple's bodies were taken after being returned to the UK. |
"I expressed my condolences to Mr Al Fayed and he implored me to do whatever I could to speed up the process at the mortuary, because it was important for religious reasons that the body was buried before sunset that day," he said. | "I expressed my condolences to Mr Al Fayed and he implored me to do whatever I could to speed up the process at the mortuary, because it was important for religious reasons that the body was buried before sunset that day," he said. |
Mr Rees denied he was recruited as liaison by then Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner David Veness to help cover up any possibility that the crash might have been suspicious. | Mr Rees denied he was recruited as liaison by then Metropolitan Police Assistant Commissioner David Veness to help cover up any possibility that the crash might have been suspicious. |
He said he had maintained an "open mind" about what he called an "unprecedented situation". | He said he had maintained an "open mind" about what he called an "unprecedented situation". |
And he said no-one at Scotland Yard had ever suggested to him that the deaths might be suspicious | And he said no-one at Scotland Yard had ever suggested to him that the deaths might be suspicious |
Diana expression | Diana expression |
Earlier on Monday, Lady Annabel told the inquest Diana had rubbished rumours of marriage to Mr Al Fayed shortly before her death. | Earlier on Monday, Lady Annabel told the inquest Diana had rubbished rumours of marriage to Mr Al Fayed shortly before her death. |
She said: "It had been splashed all over the papers. I said to her laughably, 'You are not going to do anything silly are you?' | She said: "It had been splashed all over the papers. I said to her laughably, 'You are not going to do anything silly are you?' |
Former Det Ch Supt Jeff Rees liaised with French police | Former Det Ch Supt Jeff Rees liaised with French police |
"I meant, 'You are not going to do anything silly like rushing off and eloping or getting married,' and she said, 'I would need marriage like a rash on my face.' | "I meant, 'You are not going to do anything silly like rushing off and eloping or getting married,' and she said, 'I would need marriage like a rash on my face.' |
"It was a very Diana expression." | "It was a very Diana expression." |
When asked about the comment, Lady Annabel said: "She might have been having a wonderful time with him, I'm sure, but I thought her remark that she needed marriage like a rash meant that she was not serious about it." | When asked about the comment, Lady Annabel said: "She might have been having a wonderful time with him, I'm sure, but I thought her remark that she needed marriage like a rash meant that she was not serious about it." |
She said she was sure Mr Al Fayed was "a very nice fellow", but was concerned about how fast their relationship was moving. | She said she was sure Mr Al Fayed was "a very nice fellow", but was concerned about how fast their relationship was moving. |
"I put it to her because I thought, 'Gosh, I'm reading all these lurid details about her and she is very impulsive,' and I didn't think she had known him long enough, but it was a jokey remark meaning, 'Are you serious or are you not?"' | "I put it to her because I thought, 'Gosh, I'm reading all these lurid details about her and she is very impulsive,' and I didn't think she had known him long enough, but it was a jokey remark meaning, 'Are you serious or are you not?"' |
"I think I was just trying to find out what was on her mind and she answered in that one short sentence. | "I think I was just trying to find out what was on her mind and she answered in that one short sentence. |
"End of conversation. Last conversation ever," Lady Annabel said. | "End of conversation. Last conversation ever," Lady Annabel said. |
Phone number | Phone number |
I'm confident, on the face of it, that she would not have been [pregnant] Lady Annabel Goldsmith | I'm confident, on the face of it, that she would not have been [pregnant] Lady Annabel Goldsmith |
Lady Annabel also said it was "impossible" that Diana could have been pregnant when she died. | Lady Annabel also said it was "impossible" that Diana could have been pregnant when she died. |
"There was a reason for that [belief]," she said, without elaborating. | "There was a reason for that [belief]," she said, without elaborating. |
"I'm confident, on the face of it, that she would not have been [pregnant]." | "I'm confident, on the face of it, that she would not have been [pregnant]." |
She also said the princess had been "in love" with heart surgeon Hasnat Khan and was "sad" about their break-up which had been some time before February 1996. | She also said the princess had been "in love" with heart surgeon Hasnat Khan and was "sad" about their break-up which had been some time before February 1996. |
Lady Annabel said Diana kept changing her mobile phone number, probably because she wanted to avoid speaking to certain people. | Lady Annabel said Diana kept changing her mobile phone number, probably because she wanted to avoid speaking to certain people. |
But she said the princess had never mentioned anything about believing her conversations were being bugged. | But she said the princess had never mentioned anything about believing her conversations were being bugged. |
The inquest continues. | The inquest continues. |