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| Burrell knew of Fayed ring gift | Burrell knew of Fayed ring gift |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Paul Burrell kept quiet about Dodi Al Fayed giving Diana, Princess of Wales, a ring shortly before they died in Paris, a High Court inquest has heard. | Paul Burrell kept quiet about Dodi Al Fayed giving Diana, Princess of Wales, a ring shortly before they died in Paris, a High Court inquest has heard. |
| In 2003 the former butler wrote in his book that all he knew of the gift was from a conversation during 1997. | In 2003 the former butler wrote in his book that all he knew of the gift was from a conversation during 1997. |
| He said he had advised Diana to wear any ring on her right hand to avoid giving the impression she was engaged. | He said he had advised Diana to wear any ring on her right hand to avoid giving the impression she was engaged. |
| But he revealed at her inquest that he had picked up a ring with Diana's possessions shortly after her death. | But he revealed at her inquest that he had picked up a ring with Diana's possessions shortly after her death. |
| The princess and Dodi Al Fayed died after a car crash in a Paris road tunnel in 1997. | The princess and Dodi Al Fayed died after a car crash in a Paris road tunnel in 1997. |
| Engagement doubts | Engagement doubts |
| Michael Mansfield QC, representing Dodi's father Mohamed Al Fayed, accused Mr Burrell of "lying" in his book A Royal Duty about the ring. | Michael Mansfield QC, representing Dodi's father Mohamed Al Fayed, accused Mr Burrell of "lying" in his book A Royal Duty about the ring. |
| Mr Burrell, appearing at the inquest for a third day, replied that this was a "strong" term. | |
| "The reason I didn't include it in A Royal Duty was that I didn't feel I had to at the time," he told the court in London. | "The reason I didn't include it in A Royal Duty was that I didn't feel I had to at the time," he told the court in London. |
| But Mr Burrell provided more detail about the ring in a subsequent book, The Way We Were, written a few years later. | But Mr Burrell provided more detail about the ring in a subsequent book, The Way We Were, written a few years later. |
| "So much was being said about the Princess I only had to dispel the... myth," he said. | "So much was being said about the Princess I only had to dispel the... myth," he said. |
| Mr Burrell again insisted that Diana was still in love with surgeon Hasnat Khan in the run-up to her death on 31 August, 1997. | Mr Burrell again insisted that Diana was still in love with surgeon Hasnat Khan in the run-up to her death on 31 August, 1997. |
| "I knew that she would not get engaged," he said. | "I knew that she would not get engaged," he said. |
| 'Establishment concerns' | 'Establishment concerns' |
| Mr Mansfield replied: "You may like to think you knew that but actually you really don't know, do you?" | Mr Mansfield replied: "You may like to think you knew that but actually you really don't know, do you?" |
| Mr Burrell said: "I don't know." | Mr Burrell said: "I don't know." |
| The former butler agreed with Mr Mansfield that there were "concerns" in the "establishment" in the summer of 1997 about Diana's closeness to the Fayed family. | The former butler agreed with Mr Mansfield that there were "concerns" in the "establishment" in the summer of 1997 about Diana's closeness to the Fayed family. |
| Those concerns also apparently applied to her "political" activities on landmines. | Those concerns also apparently applied to her "political" activities on landmines. |
| Mr Burrell also disagreed with Mr Mansfield's suggestion that the Duke of Edinburgh had called Dodi Al Fayed an "oily bedhopper". | Mr Burrell also disagreed with Mr Mansfield's suggestion that the Duke of Edinburgh had called Dodi Al Fayed an "oily bedhopper". |
| Mr Burrell said: "I've never heard that phrase. I find that very unlikely". | Mr Burrell said: "I've never heard that phrase. I find that very unlikely". |
| The former servant also said that in a meeting he had with the Queen, she said she was "concerned that the princess was rather over excited" over her "relationship" with Dodi Al Fayed and was also "concerned about the future". | |
| The inquest continues. | The inquest continues. |