Maira Oliveira
All Headline News
Wednesday, November 29, 2006

It was revealed on Monday that Princess Diana's death report could be published as early as Christmas.

Met Commissioner Lord Stevens has submitted a draft copy of the final report to Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss - the judge appointed to oversee the inquest into the deaths of Diana and her lover Dodi Fayed killed in the Paris car crash in 1997 - and is in current discussion with Scotland Yard police about making the report public at a press conference next month.

Lord Stevens' report dismisses many of the conspiracy theories put forward by Dodi's father Mohammed Fayed, and the Harrods' boss is now considering taking legal action to prevent the report from being made public.

In an open letter to Scotland Yard, Mohammad has threatened to seek a judicial review of the decision not to give him an advance copy of the report.

Dame Elizabeth, 73, took over as coroner for the inquest in July this year after Royal Coroner Michael Burgess quit due to his heavy workload.

The inquest - set to begin next year - will be the first British public examination into the circumstances of the crash. The inquiry - which has cost $2.6 million and taken three years - has drawn on evidence from new witnesses and used cutting edge computer technology to reconstruct the crash scene.

It is thought Lord Stevens' findings will still conclude that the princess' death was a road accident - like the French inquiry that was conducted shortly after the crash.

The report is expected to say that driver Henri Paul - who also died on the night of August 31, 1997 - caused the crash, as he was considerably over the alcohol limit and driving well above the speed limit.