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Diana bodyguard plea 'rejected' Diana bodyguard plea 'rejected'
(about 2 hours later)
A bodyguard protecting Diana, Princess of Wales, days before her fatal car crash was frustrated after his call for extra security was turned down. A bodyguard protecting Princess Diana days before her fatal car crash has said he was frustrated when his call for extra security was turned down.
Kieran Wingfield told the inquest into her death that he and colleague Trevor Rees were left guarding the couple during a Mediterranean cruise. Kieran Wingfield told the inquest into her death he and colleague Trevor Rees were left alone to guard Diana and her companion on a Mediterranean cruise.
He said his call for security help was turned down by his employer, Mohamed Al Fayed, amid calls for a "low key" trip.He said his call for security help was turned down by his employer, Mohamed Al Fayed, amid calls for a "low key" trip.
Diana and Dodi Al Fayed died after a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997.Diana and Dodi Al Fayed died after a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997.
Mr Wingfield, a former Royal Marine, told the inquest of his frustrations relating to the cruise on Mohamed Al Fayed's luxury yacht, the Jonikal, in the summer of 1997.
"I believe eight was the minimum required for the task on the Jonikal. Not because [they were] staying on the boat, [but] in the evening the couple went ashore and that's when we would have really needed the eight," he said.
'Adequate cover'
Mr Wingfield, known as Kes, said the extra manpower had been needed to assess the destinations the couple had wanted to visit and provide him and Mr Rees - formerly Trevor Rees Jones - with time off.
The bodyguard, who joined Mohamed Al Fayed's security team in 1992, said he had been told about the plan to provide the couple with only two bodyguards by his employer a few weeks before the cruise.
Mr Wingfield told the hearing: "When he informed me the trip was going to happen soon I asked who else was coming on the task, meaning which other protection officers were going to be with [me] and he informed me it was Trevor Rees Jones and that was it.
"I suggested to Mr [Al] Fayed that was not enough to provide adequate cover. His words to me were 'I want this to be low key. It's only going to be for two or three days'."