The Diana Inquest: October 2007 - April 2008

[CasiraghiTrio]

People will believe what they want, indeed. Even with these letters showing the compassion between The Duke and Diana, there will be people saying the letters were ill-chosen or tampered with. Around and around it will go, and the speculation will always go on in certain places. Probably forever in the so-called "Di-express".

 

[Skydragon]

A lot has been made of the dates of the letters, with suggestions that the relationship took a downturn after she started dating Dodi. The letters were quite old, but I don't have a problem with the very personal information being edited out, I understand that the coroner saw the unedited versions. After the very public split, things would have become awkward but I do not believe that Phillip would ever have threatened her or made derogatory comments. He may sometimes have, to some, a misplaced sense of humour, but I have always seen him as a caring man.
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BBC NEWS | UK | 'Crown jewels' glimpsed at Diana inquest

The court was on a treasure hunt from the start. The prize was nothing less than the "crown jewels". That's what the private letters between Princess Diana and the Duke of Edinburgh have been dubbed.

Taken from the article and a sentiment I agree with
He said: "Mr Mansfield, I think what you have failed to accept is that actually, once the divorce had happened, what Princess Diana did was not relevant to the mainstream of the royal family."
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BBC NEWS | UK | Diana's letters to Dodi revealed

Princess Diana's Letters To Dodi Fayed |Sky News|UK News

Two intimate letters from Princess Diana to her lover Dodi Fayed have been released at the inquest into their deaths.

Is it me, the first letter sounds like the normal 'thank you' to a male you have just met and spent a holiday with. from the little bits I have seen (not a lot), they could hardly be termed 'intimate'.

 

[CourtSprite]

People will believe what they want, indeed. Even with these letters showing the compassion between The Duke and Diana, there will be people saying the letters were ill-chosen or tampered with. Around and around it will go, and the speculation will always go on in certain places. Probably forever in the so-called "Di-express".

Let's face it, as long as it shifts papers and boosts viewing ratings, the media will never let it drop.

I was pleased however to hear it confirmed that the late Princess was NOT pregnant at the time of her death. Surely that was a no-brainer and it was one of the more ridiculous rumours that were circulated.

 

[Warren]

... the late Princess was NOT pregnant at the time of her death... it was one of the more ridiculous rumours that were circulated.

It is not a 'rumour being circulated' but a bald-faced statement of "fact" made (repeatedly) by... Mohammed Al Fayed. Would he lie about something like this?

 

[CourtSprite]

It is not a 'rumour being circulated' but a bald-faced statement of "fact" made (repeatedly) by... Mohammed Al Fayed. Would he lie about something like this?

Now he is just creepy. His obsession with the whole business isn't normal.

 

[georgiea]

It is not a 'rumour being circulated' but a bald-faced statement of "fact" made (repeatedly) by... Mohammed Al Fayed. Would he lie about something like this?

I don't think Mohammed al Fayed lied about this fact. But he did lied about talking with Diana after the accident.

The inquest explained that the body was embalmed at the request of Diana's driver to preserve her body in the hot hospital room. But, what I don't understand is why just her lower body was embalmed?

Like I said before - I hope this inquest answers all questions, but I think it is opening up a "can of worms" about deaths ten+ years ago.

 

[Warren]

But, what I don't understand is why just her lower body was embalmed?

I don't know where this "just her lower body was embalmed" comes from.
This is what the Paget Report says at page 552:

The embalming carried out by the French may have been only sufficient for viewing. In my opinion what embalming had been carried out was only for the purpose of the viewing and to tidy up her appearance. The closing of eyelids and open mouths, the addition of makeup and some injection of embalming fluids around the areas of visible injuries following traumatic death is quite normal.

The inquest explained that the body was embalmed at the request of Diana's driver

Diana's driver? Paget Report, pages 548 and 560 [my bolding]:​

Jean Monceau, an experienced French embalmer, believed this was the only way to ensure the Princess of Wales was presentable. He discounted the use of dry ice or mortuary cleansing because of the extent of her injuries.​

The embalming of the Princess of Wales was carried out in accordance with French procedures. As explained in (1) above, the doctor at the Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Professor Bruno Riou, confirmed that there were no medical/legal obstacles associated with the body. The Deputy Public Prosecutor then signed the burial certificate and had no further responsibility for the body. The authority required to embalm in these circumstances, on a Sunday in Paris, is that of a person having authority to proceed with funeral arrangements, together with a representative of the Préfet de Police. Keith Moss, Consul-General at the British Embassy, and Commissaire Divisionnaire Martine Monteil, Head of the Brigade Criminelle of Paris Police, provided these, respectively.

 

[georgiea]

Jean Monceau, an experienced French embalmer, ​

​

Diana's driver at the hospital asked for Diana's body to be presentable for the people coming to see her in the hot, hospital room. That is when Jean Monceau took over.​

We learnt about that when Diana's driver talked at the inquest.​

I don't know what goes into the embalming procedure, but the procedure destroys and evidence of pregnancy. So with the driver and Raine's testamony and the Paget report it looks like al Fayed is not telling the truth again.​

 

[Duchess]

i wasn't aware that embalming had anything to do with keeping the eyes and mouth closed. i thought that had to do with the process of rigor mortis.

 

[Jo of Palatine]

BBC NEWS | UK | Diana's letters to Dodi revealed

Princess Diana's Letters To Dodi Fayed |Sky News|UK News

Two intimate letters from Princess Diana to her lover Dodi Fayed have been released at the inquest into their deaths.

Is it me, the first letter sounds like the normal 'thank you' to a male you have just met and spent a holiday with. from the little bits I have seen (not a lot), they could hardly be termed 'intimate'.

Pity we won't be able to read all the other letters Diana wrote to men she spent time with in order to establish for ourselves how "hot" this "love" was.
Now that would tell a lot about "Shy Di".

 

[CasiraghiTrio]

^ Her relationships with other men aren't relevant to the case. But I must agree that this exhibit (the letter excerpt) shows a normal, sober thank you. Granted, however, there is obviously more in the letter.... this excerpt ends mid-sentence.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Pity we won't be able to read all the other letters Diana wrote to men she spent time with in order to establish for ourselves how "hot" this "love" was.
Now that would tell a lot about "Shy Di".

I completely agree...I was watching the am morning talk shows and they were quoting from the letters, and I was thinking to myself that I have written things like that to my RELATIVES for heavens sake!

The late Princess had a certain "style" in her writing, she was invariably affectionate and doting to people she cared about. In one of her last letters to the late Liz Tilberis(editor of Vogue or Bazaar) she tells her that " I will always ALWAYS be here for you, darling dearest Liz" or something. I could go on and on. But there is certainly nothing in these Diana letters that would make me think she was going to marry the man!

 

[ysbel]

Pity we won't be able to read all the other letters Diana wrote to men she spent time with in order to establish for ourselves how "hot" this "love" was.
Now that would tell a lot about "Shy Di".

I'm more intrigued by Diana's gift of her father's cufflinks to Dodi. Diana loved her father dearly and I just can't imagine she would give a momento from her father to someone who was just a casual fling.

 

[georgiea]

I'm more intrigued by Diana's gift of her father's cufflinks to Dodi. Diana loved her father dearly and I just can't imagine she would give a momento from her father to someone who was just a casual fling.

Ysbel, I also thought that about Diana's father's cufflinks. But could someone tell me if my memory is correct. I thought I readed that Diana gave Hewitt her father's cufflinks. Maybe she had two pairs or did he ask James for them back when the relationship ended?

 

[TheTruth]

Ysbel, I also thought that about Diana's father's cufflinks. But could someone tell me if my memory is correct. I thought I readed that Diana gave Hewitt her father's cufflinks. Maybe she had two pairs or did he ask James for them back when the relationship ended?

I knew that James gave her his signet ring but I didn't know she had given him her father's cufflinks nor to Dodi ...

 

[ysbel]

Ysbel, I also thought that about Diana's father's cufflinks. But could someone tell me if my memory is correct. I thought I readed that Diana gave Hewitt her father's cufflinks. Maybe she had two pairs or did he ask James for them back when the relationship ended?

Or her father could have left her more than one pair of cufflinks.

 

[ysbel]

I knew that James gave her his signet ring but I didn't know she had given him her father's cufflinks nor to Dodi ...

Apparently this came out with the testimony of Rosa Monckton. I got this from the BBC:

In one letter Diana described a gift to Mr Al Fayed - cufflinks which belonged to her father.

BBC NEWS | UK | Diana letters show love for Dodi

 

[BeatrixFan]

We're certainly seeing a different side to Diana. Quite worrying for us 'Camillaphiles' eh?

 

[georgiea]

We're certainly seeing a different side to Diana. Quite worrying for us 'Camillaphiles' eh?

What different side? When she went out with Dodi she was divorce and only 36. She was a generous person and Dodi was showering her with gifts. If she did fall for Dodi - what would be bad about that?

I admire Princess Diana and if she did have lovers while married - as I have said before it is because Prince Charles left her for another woman in 1986. BeatrixFan, or others - if you where about 25 and left in a loveless marriage what would you do?

 

[ysbel]

I'm more interested in the fact that Diana's friends dismissed her relationship with Dodi as a casual fling.

Here is the quote from the letter from Diana to Dodi,

"Darling Dodi, these cufflinks were the very last gift from the man I loved most in the world, my father," she wrote.
"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, Diana."

I'm still dumbfounded that Diana would give her father's cufflinks to a casual acquaintance and quite frankly it seems unbelievable.

I know Diana's mother and sister's dismissed Diana's statement about Paul Burrell being her rock as over-dramatic and not indicative of Diana's real relationship to Burrell but now that Diana's friends have downplayed Diana's relationship with Dodi, I wonder if they were being really truthful or did they downplay the relationship because they were trying to protect Diana?

 

[BeatrixFan]

What different side? When she went out with Dodi she was divorce and only 36. She was a generous person and Dodi was showering her with gifts. If she did fall for Dodi - what would be bad about that?

I admire Princess Diana and if she did have lovers while married - as I have said before it is because Prince Charles left her for another woman in 1986. BeatrixFan, or others - if you where about 25 and left in a loveless marriage what would you do?

You really must wait before taking a comment about Diana in the worst way - what I actually meant was that I had always believed that Diana had been quite spiteful to the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. I'd also believed that she was a bit of a bitch to Dodi and that she was just using the Harrods connection to keep her in the limelight. What this inquest is showing is that I was wrong. Whilst I shall never turn into a Di nutjob, I am happy to see that she was actually very respectful to the Duke, from what Raine said she also remained quite pleasant with the Queen and the Queen likewise. Whilst I still believe that overall, Diana damaged the monarchy, I'm willing to state that I put on her a par with other members of the Royal Family ; humans who have good times and bad times, make grave mistakes and perform achievements that bring happiness to those who witness them.

It must be the Christmas air. How thoroughly sick making.

 

[georgiea]

Well I am truly surprised by that wonderful remark about Princess Diana. I do hope it is not the Christmas air!

 

[georgiea]

I'm more interested in the fact that Diana's friends dismissed her relationship with Dodi as a casual fling.

I'm still dumbfounded that Diana would give her father's cufflinks to a casual acquaintance and quite frankly it seems unbelievable.

I know Diana's mother and sister's dismissed Diana's statement about Paul Burrell being her rock as over-dramatic and not indicative of Diana's real relationship to Burrell but now that Diana's friends have downplayed Diana's relationship with Dodi, I wonder if they were being really truthful or did they downplay the relationship because they were trying to protect Diana?

I have always felt that her family and friends were trying to protect her. Her mother shredded a lot of correspondance at KP after she died.

 

[TheTruth]

It must be the Christmas air. How thoroughly sick making.

Thank YOU BeatrixFan ! You are the alive proof that we can like both women and still see the truth from the fake. Aww, what a wonderful period Christmas is

 

[Skydragon]

We're certainly seeing a different side to Diana. Quite worrying for us 'Camillaphiles' eh?

Speak for yourself darling, I have seen nothing new to alter my opinion of Diana.

I admire Princess Diana and if she did have lovers while married - as I have said before it is because Prince Charles left her for another woman in 1986. BeatrixFan, or others - if you where about 25 and left in a loveless marriage what would you do

Certainly not sleep around. I have never seen any evidence to substantiate your statement that Charles left her in '86, was this before or after her first affair? I also see no need for you to bring the failed marriage into every post. It bears no relevance to this thread, as far as I can see.

I'm more intrigued by Diana's gift of her father's cufflinks to Dodi. Diana loved her father dearly and I just can't imagine she would give a momento from her father to someone who was just a casual fling

She also gave a pair to Hewitt, perhaps it was a bid to 'cement' Dodi's affection.

what I actually meant was that I had always believed that Diana had been quite spiteful to the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh..... .....It must be the Christmas air. How thoroughly sick making.

As we know things changed with the revelations in the Morton book in 1992. Although I don't for a moment believe that he had anything to do with her death, things must have become very strained.

Christmas air, bah humbug!

 

[TheTruth]

The Royalist - Diana Inquest: Princess's Love Letters To Dodi Revealed

 

[Russophile]

I admire Princess Diana and if she did have lovers while married - as I have said before it is because Prince Charles left her for another woman in 1986. BeatrixFan, or others - if you where about 25 and left in a loveless marriage what would you do?

I was. You get out of it is what you do. Not have numerous affairs.

 

[ysbel]

I have always felt that her family and friends were trying to protect her. Her mother shredded a lot of correspondance at KP after she died.

Yes, well that's understandable. I simply remember a lot of people quoted Diana's friends as telling the gospel truth about Diana's relationship to Dodi because they were the closest to Diana; however, if they disapproved of the al-Fayeds or were trying to protect Diana's reputation, they would have a motive for downplaying the relationship or make it sound less serious than it could have been.

It makes it harder for the rest of us to know what really was going on.

The exchange between Prince Philip and Diana was also surprising in other ways. I never would have regarded Prince Philip as a marriage counsellor and I am shocked that Diana would have asked him of all people for help in her marriage. Philip didn't get along with Charles so he wouldnt' have been much help anyway so he was right about that but his letter sounded unusually cheerful given what we know of his character.

 

[ghost_night554]

Maybe the reason they didn't divorce sooner was because they thought it would hurt the monarch is some way. I can't give you a real answer in what way it would have hurt the monarch but I'm just giving you an example here. Anyways back to the inquest, I'm getting a bit on the confused side with this inquest I'm hearing so many different sides to the story. Quite obviously she wasn't pregnant, I mean her friends said she wasn't, the coroner even stated she was on birth control around the time of her death, how he found that out I dunno. But clearly knowing she was on birth control could not in any way have been tampered with her friends trying to protect her and lie well that could be possible but obviously that's not the case we've had much more evidence suggesting that she obviously wasn't pregnant. Engaged now that one while I don't beleive it still has me completly lost just cause again everyone has a different side to the story.

 

[georgiea]

Certainly not sleep around. I have never seen any evidence to substantiate your statement that Charles left her in '86.

Skydragon do you remember Prince Charles' 1995 interview with Mr. Dimbley? It was shown on television when Charles' Dimbley written autobiography came out. Charles said in that interview that around 1986 their marriage was broken down and could not be fixed and that he had a special friend in Camilla. Also, in the interview he said that he never loved Diana.

Was this before or after her first affair?

Everything that I have read on them - except James Hewitt's books and interview point to Diana starting her love affairs after Charles has left her. I believe if she could have divorced Charles earlier she would have.

I also see no need for you to bring the failed marriage into every post. It bears no relevance to this thread, as far as I can see.

I only bring up the failed marriage in this thread and the thread with Hewitt being Harry's father. I see it as very relavent to how Diana's short life was played out. If she was loved I don't think she would have needed lovers and she would not have been with Dodi in Paris.

As we know things changed with the revelations in the Morton book in 1992. Although I don't for a moment believe that he had anything to do with her death, things must have become very strained.

The relationship with Diana and the Royal family in 1992 must have been very strained, but I don't believe Philip ordered her death.

Christmas air, bah humbug!

The holiday usually bring out the best in people!!!!