Al-Fayed: Royals wanted to ‘get rid’ of Diana

LONDON - Luxury storeowner Mohamed al-Fayed accused the British royal family on Monday of wanting to "get rid" of Princess Diana, who died in a 1997 Paris car crash along with his son.

Giving evidence at an inquest into Dodi's and Diana's death, the owner of London's Harrods store, al-Fayed directed accusations at the princess's former husband Prince Charles, and at her former father-in-law and husband to Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip.

"(Princess Diana) told me personally both before and during the holiday we shared in July 1997 of her fears," al-Fayed said in a written statement to the court. "She told me that she knew Philip and Prince Charles wanted to get rid of her."

Diana, 36, Dodi, 42, and driver Henri Paul, an al-Fayed employee, were killed when their Mercedes limousine crashed in a road tunnel in August 1997 as they sped away from the Ritz Hotel in Paris with paparazzi in hot pursuit.

Under British law, an inquest is needed to determine the cause of death when someone dies unnaturally.

Official probes: Deaths were accidents
French and British police investigations both concluded the deaths were tragic accidents caused by their speeding chauffeur who was found to be drunk. Both police probes rejected al-Fayed's conspiracy theories.

But al-Fayed insisted in his statement that French and British security and intelligence services had colluded in the killing of his son and Diana, and in a subsequent coverup.

"French intelligence helped the British intelligence to execute their murder," he said. "Princess Diana told me she had proof her life was in danger."


Strong words
Al-Fayed has said in the past he believes Diana's killing was ordered because the royal family did not want the mother of the future king having a child with his son.

He told the inquest on Monday that Diana had confided in him that she was pregnant, and that she and his son were about to announce their engagement.