"Diana, Princess of Wales. The full tragic story since her death in the car crash in Paris. A LondonNet News Feature

London's Pulse

Keeping you in touch with Londoners, London and LondonNet

DEATH OF THE PRINCESS

Princess Diana's Death
The Story So Far

The continuing story

The immediate aftermath

21/01/00
Hookers Pull Diana Cash
- Memorial Fund in donation to East End prostitutes

MONEY from the Diana Memorial Fund will be handed to young prostitutes to help them renounce their chosen profession, it has been announced.

"This grant reflects the concern Diana felt for young, vulnerable people," said a Fund spokesperson. The UKP20,000 donation goes to the Maze Marigold Project in London's run down Bethnall Green area.

"The money will be used to help women suffering abuse - that includes women working as prostitutes," said a Project member.

19/01/00
Latest Diana Memorial Plan Revealed
- Fountain and parks walkway for Princess

THE LATEST ideas for a memorial to the late Diana, Princess of Wales have been announced.

The new plan is for a multi-million pound fountain and children's playground situated along a 1.7 million UKP path linking up several parks in central London. The parks to be connected by the environmentally sensitive - yet state of the art - walkway include Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, St James's Park and Green Park.

It is not clear which of the parks will be home to the fountain. The natural choice would be Kensington Gardens, the park which houses Diana's former London home, Kensington Palace. However, earlier plans for a memorial in the park were shouted down by angry local residents who feared an invasion of princess-pilgrims.

Royal Talkback - To have your say on the Royal's click here.

13/01/00
Fun Run For Diana
- London route for money-raising jog

RUNNERS are being invited to jog across some of London's most famous streets in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales.

20,000 runners are expected to take part in a fund-raising race in support of the Diana Memorial Fund on July 30. The starting line will be outside Kensington Palace, Diana's former home, and the six mile route will include other famous Diana landmarks such as Westminster Abbey, the site of her moving funeral, and St Paul's Cathedral, where she married Prince Charles.

The entry fee is to be set at UKP29.50 and organisers hope to raise UKP2 million for the various charities supported by the Fund.

21/12/99
Hamilton Loses '"Cash for Questions" Libel Case
- "Xmas has come early" claims victorious Al Fayed

FORMER Tory MP Neil Hamilton has sensationally lost his libel case against Harrod's boss Mohamed Al Fayed.

Hamilton had claimed Fayed libelled him by saying that as an MP he accepted cash and other gifts in return for asking questions in Parliament. Fayed claimed in a TV documentary that Hamilton had accepted envelopes stuffed with cash. Fayed used his time in the witness box to exercise legal privilege (immunity) and spent days ranting about the various conspiracies he believes the UK esatablishement has undertaken against him, including the 'murder' of his son Dodi and Diana, Princess of Wales.

The former MP for Tatton, lost his seat at the election to anti-sleaze candidate Martin Bell. He now faces huge a legal bill and the prospect of financial ruin as a result of the jury's verdict.

21/7/99
Royalist Threat to Break Denise Van Outen's Legs
- Sexy Star receives warning after she flashes her boobs at Prince Charles
- Diana conspiracy theorists take heart as royalist hit squad comes out of the shadows

SEXY TV STAR Denise Van Outen has received a letter from a royalist group warning her that she faces 'total disablement'.

Outen received the threat following her antics earlier this month when she flashed her breasts at Prince Charles at a charity do. The former Big Breakfast presenter felt snubbed after being left out of a line up to meet the heir to the throne. Outen had previously annoyed Buckingham Palace by admitting to stealing a memento during an earlier visit there.

The garbled threat came from a new Royalist terror group called 'Justice'.They promised to 'break her legs' and leave her facing 'total disablement' for life.

"We do not believe in trial or judgment. We are known by certain powers who can do nothing to cease our operation because basically they appreciate what we are doing." claimed the group in their letter.

Conspiracy theorists convinced that Diana, Princess of Wales, was the victim of a royalist hit squad will no doubt see this news as proof that elements of the establishment are out to get republicans. They will point to the post mark on the hate letter; Slough, Berkshire. Just a stone's throw away from Windsor Castle.

This is London. This is summer. Welcome to the silly season.

22/4/99
Kosovo Kids Aided by Diana's Helping Hand
- Princess's Memorial Fund makes donation to Albanian youths

PRINCESS DIANA's Memorial Fund, the charity set up after her death in Paris twenty months ago, is set to make a large contribution to an organisation helping refugee kids from Kosovo.

The initial 450 000 UKP donation will be split between Albanian Youth Action and the Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture. Contributions to the former will help refugee children in Britain who witnessed atrocities. More money has been promised:

"These grants are only the beginning. These grants can bring hope to shattered lives." Said the Fund's chief executive Dr Andrew Purkis.

'NATO Bombs Serbia' Feature - The latest news on the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. Comment, links, quotes, bulletin board, etc. Plus details of how you can help Kosovo refugees, with contact information for the UK based appeal...

What do you think?
Are NATO countries right to bomb Serbia over autonomy for Kosovo?
- Have your say today on our News Talkback bulletin board.

5/2/99
"You've No Right To Diana's Face", Fund Told
- Copyright claim for Princess's image thrown out by Patent Office

BUNGLING charity chiefs at the under fire Diana, Princess of Wales, Memorial Fund have embarrassingly lost the right to patent her image.

The fund had launched the action to prevent merchandisers and others from cashing in on their 'patron's' image. The action was unprecedented and it was no surprise that the Patent Office threw out the application yesterday. They ruled that no-one had a monopoly on pictures of Diana. The pictures were 'decoration' rather than a 'badge of origin' for an identifiable brand. The Princess's executors now have three months to launch an appeal, although the prospects of overturning the ruling are said to be minimal.

This is the latest in a string of setbacks for the toffs at the Memorial Fund. They lost the public's confidence when they ousted the popular former butler to Diana.

(19/11/98)
Fatal Gear Shift Killed Diana
- Crash expert claims driver Paul put auto-gearbox in neutral moments before shunt
- White Uno not to blame says police boffin Nibodeau

A NEW report by crash investigator Michel Nibodeau claims that Henri Paul made a fatal gear change moments before the crash which killed Princess Diana, Dodi Fayed and himself.

Nibodeau believes Paul tried to drop down a gear as he approached the twisty section leading up to the Place D'Alma underpass. Very sensible behaviour in a car with a manual gearbox, but the Mercedes he was driving was an automatic. Thus Nibodeau asserts the Ritz driver placed the car, which was travelling at between 60 and 70 mph, in neutral. It was this that forced Paul to lose control, not a second car believes Nibodeau.

If it is correct, as French police believe, that Paul was three times over the alcohol limit and had taken performance reducing tranquillisers, then this gear change error could have put the situation beyond his control. Police have established the existence of paint marks on the Mercedes from a white Fiat Uno which they believe may have come into contact with Paul's car prior to the crash. If the gearbox theory is right then it is now unclear whether Paul's car hit the Uno before or after losing control.

Nibodeau points to the latter, as the skid marks approaching the tunnel did not belong to Mercedes, confirming that a second car sought to avoid the out of control limo.

However, Nibodeau's is but one view and the final rulings following the official investigation are not expected until January 1999.

What do you think?
Does Nibodeau's report ring true? Or is the new revelation part of an establishment cover up?
- Have your say today on our News Talkback bulletin board.

(12/11/98)
Diana's Garden Trimmed Down
- Memorial Garden for Princess scaled down following local protests

PLANS for the Memorial Garden to Diana, Princess of Wales have been dramatically scaled down following protests from local residents.

The Chancellor, Gordon Brown, who heads up the panel whose task it is to introduce the scheme, announced the changes Wednesday. The original plan was for an extensive 2.7 acre plot in Kensington Gardens, the park which is home to Diana's old home Kensington palace. Kensington and Chelsea residents objected to the outline plans at a series of rowdy public meetings which sent shockwaves through the normally genteel London Borough.

The original 10 million UKP scheme will give way to a more sedate and smaller garden, occupying a plot which takes in part of Kensington Gardens and neighbouring Hyde Park.

Diana Crash Report Leaked
- But Uno mystery still unsolved

LEAKS from the long investigation into the death of Princess Wales offer succour to both pro- and anti- conspiracy theorists, it has emerged.

Conspiracy theorists have often said that the Mercedes that carried Diana to her death last August had been tampered with. But details from a 500 page technical report into the crash car suggest there was nothing wrong with the car and that its speed at impact was 60 mph, not 120 mph as many earlier reports claimed.

But the police technicians do support suspicions about the involvement of a white Fiat Uno which, it says, collided with the Mercedes on entering a Paris road tunnel. Despite massive police efforts the Uno has never been found. (3/11/98)

Royals Attack New Charles Biography
- New Diana revelations are "rubbish" says Prince

PRINCE Charles has issued a joint statement with Camilla Parker-Bowles declaring that a new biography on his life is a load of rubbish.

The book 'Charles - The Prince's Story' by Penny Junor, was described by the Duchess of York as a "shameful and chilling attack". The book contains many salacious slurs against both Diana and Charles. Unusually it preserves particular venom for the 'Queen of Hearts', claiming it was she and not the Prince who first had an affair in their troubled marriage.

Junor, who is widely perceived to be merely cashing in on the troubled family, has defended her work as one of fact not fiction. She claims to have consulted 30 or so of the Prince's 'closest friends' in researching her piece of pulp faction, serialised in the Mail newspaper.

The Queen is said to be extremely angry at allegations that she did not want Di's body to be flown back from Paris aboard the Royal Flight (a royal plane in commoner's parlance). Junor writes that an aide told Her Majesty ; "what would you rather Ma'am, that she came back in a Harrods van?"

With cheap shots like that it is not hard to see why this latest book has so angered the Royal Family, who have recently tried to realign themselves in tune with the modern post-Di world. (26/10/98)

Diana's Greedy Lawyers - Part Two
- John Major's 400 000 UKP legal bill for Princes shocks Charles

Former PM John Major has come under fire in his role as legal guardian to the two Princes, William and Harry.

Boodle and Hatfield, the legal firm appointed by Major has landed him a 400 000 UKP bill for professional fees up to May this year. The former PM is seeking the fee to be paid out of Princess Diana's estate. But the boys' father, Prince Charles is said to have winced at the sum.

The Prince is reported to have sent an angry letter to John Major asking him to explain the scale of the charges and why he was not informed earlier of the spiralling costs.

This is not the first time greedy lawyers have been exposed milking the Diana gravy train. Earlier this year her own lawyers, Mishcon de Reya were in the news for their mega bill clocked up on behalf of the Princess's Memorial fund.

The hapless Major now faces a nasty predicament. On the one hand he knows he has a fiduciary responsibility to the children, on the other he has a rabble of self-serving lawyers breathing down his throat, hungry for payment. Even worse for the ex-PM is the knowledge that his name will now be associated with this sleazy episode despite the fact that he does not receive a single penny for his role as guardian.

For once we feel a tad sorry for bungling John Major. For all his incompetence in office he was a "decent chap" who always "played cricket". There is an answer for John though. Freeze payment to the solicitors. Have the sum independently examined (or "taxed" in legal speak). Sack Boodle and Hatfield and switch to a smaller firm who don't seek excessive profit for the relatively straight forward task of administering a will. (17/9/98)

Judge's Questions Over Diana's Death
- French Judge Herve Stephan issues investigation statement

HERVE STEPHAN the Paris Judge investigating Diana, Princess of Wales's death last August has issued a statement highlighting key points in the accident that remain unexplained.

As LondonNet revealed earlier this year, Henri Paul, the driver of the Mercedes carrying the Princess, did have an unusually high level of carbon monoxide in his blood. His sample will be retested to find out why.

Stephan also wants to know why Diana was not immediately rushed to hospital rather than being attended to at the scene. Experts suggest she may have survived if she had received earlier hospital treatment. The judge also wants further tests on the Mercedes wreckage in a bid to answer further questions.

The judge also rounded on what he says are "unreliable witnesses" who have slowed the investigation. "The detailed and in-depth investigation has been slowed by having to explore evidence of certain witnesses who have given misleading information and false leads" he said. (26/8/98)

Did Speeding Driver Kill Di?
- Francois Levistre believes he could have caused death crash

FRENCH motorist Francois Levistre has told journalists investigating the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, that he may have inadvertently caused the smash.

The 54 year old claims he was speeding as he entered the underpass from a side road. He recalls both the white Fiat Uno and Mercedes having to swerve to avoid him as he joined the main carriageway.

"Thinking about it carefully I now understand how I could have helped cause the crash. I was close behind the car, as much as 10 metres, and my driving may have caused it to swerve and lose control". Levistre made his comments in an article in a British newspaper. (3/8/98)

Chauffeur: Diana Car Brakes Were Faulty
- Driver tells of serious problem for doomed Mercedes

THE MERCEDES that carried Diana, Princess of Wales to her death had faulty brakes, according to the car's regular driver.

Chauffeur Olivier Lafaye has told investigating magistrates in Paris that the Mercedes 280 SEL was known to have faulty brakes and that it therefore should only have been driven by someone well used to its problems.

On the night Diana died the Mercedes was driven by Ritz Hotel chauffeur Henri Paul, a man who had never previously taken charge of the car.

"It didn't hold the road well," said Lafaye. "You had to know how to drive it safely." Lafaye's comments are the latest twist in the investigation into

Diana's death, an investigation that is already 11 months old and which is not now expected to reach any firm conclusions until October.

TV Go-ahead for Cartoon Diana
- Channel 5 lead bidding for kids film

A CARTOON treatment of the life of Diana, Princess of Wales is set to be screened on British TV despite protest from leading establishment figures.

"Cartoons are by their very nature tacky," said stuffy Archdeacon of York George Austin, adding that he feared for the feelings of Diana's sons, William and Harry.

But it has now emerged that Channel 5 are in the frame to buy the 30 minute short on Diana's life which is aimed at children. "It's not tacky," a Channel 5 said. "It will be very high quality." Coincidentally, the show is to be made in Wales by cartoon specialists Siriol Productions.

Brown Backs Di Garden Plan
- Chancellor 100 per cent behind controversial memorial scheme

Chancellor Gordon Brown has reconfirmed his support for the controversial Diana memorial garden in Kensington Gardens.

Brown is Chairman of the Diana, Princess of Wales Committee and yesterday spent an hour consulting with officials from Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster City councils. He told council chiefs, Joan Hanham (Leader, Kensington and Chelsea) and Jonathan Lord (Deputy Leader, Westminster) that he was still 100 per cent the plans.

Meanwhile the Lord Chamberlain, Lord Camoys has suggested that the Diana Memorial Garden be placed to the north of Kensington Palace to alleviate local residents' concerns over congestion. (21/7/98)

Diana Garden Revealed
- Memorial plans on view in public exhibition

THE controversial proposal to build a Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Garden in the grounds of Kensington Place and Kensington Gardens is today revealed to the public.

Residents and other interested parties will be able to examine the plans and submit their own views. Some critics suggest that the exhibition lacks detail and should be expanded if locals are expected to withdraw their objections. The plans show where the garden will be but not what it will actually look like.

The 10 million UKP exhibition is on view at the Albert Memorial Visitor Centre, Kensington Gore.

Diana Has Gone To The Dogs
Princess's burial site is pet graveyard reveals housekeeper

THE island in a lake at Althorp which is the final resting place of Diana, Princess of Wales has been used as a pet graveyard for years according to a former housekeeper.

Maudie Pendrey claims in a national newspaper today that the Spencers' removed several doggie headstones to make way for Diana's memorial on the tiny island.

Pendrey, who served the Spencer family for 22 years, said "I cannot believe Earl Spencer could be so heartless as to bury his sister in a dog burial ground. It is a desecration". (7/7/98)

Althorp Opens

The Diana exhibition at the Spencer family home, Althorp has opened for visitors. The home and grounds will remain open for July an August allowing visitors to see the island where Daian is buried. (1/7/98)

Althorp Concert
- Fans saved complete washout

DESPITE continuous rain through last week, concert goers at Diana's benefit gig, Althorp, were saved a soaking on Saturday.

Despite missing a good drenching, the Diana faithful did have to endure hours of Cliff Richard and Chris De Burgh wheeling out their old favourites.

Proceeds from the concert will go to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. (28/6/98)

Al Fayed Lashes Out At "Monstrous" Earl
- Diana's brother, Earl Spencer accused of 'blatant commercialism'

LOFTY Earl Spencer, has again come under fire, this time from Mohamed Al Fayed.

The Harrods owner rounded on Princess Diana's brother after the Earl slammed Fayed's conspiracy claims. Spencer also poured cold water over Fayed's statement that Diana spoke after her accident.

Spencer shot his mouth off in a sickly-sweet interview on the BBC this week. The programme seemed timed to rack up ticket sales to the morbid Althorp Diana theme park, which opens at the beginning of July.

Fayed, writing in a newspaper, labelled the new claims "monstrous" and said that the interview was "blatant commercialism". (26/6/98)

Diana Memorial Garden Showdown
- Princess's Memorial Committee backs plan
- Local residents mount campaign to block scheme

THE DIANA, Princess of Wales Memorial Committee is set to back plans for a Memorial Garden at Kensington Palace.

Locals in the Kensington area are strongly against the move, claiming visitors to the garden will cause disruption and spoil the posh district. Two packed meetings in the London Borough have heard local MP, Tory Alan Clark, criticise the plans. The residents have promised to mount a strong campaign against the scheme.

Meanwhile the Committee has also announced plans for a Diana medal for school children, a Diana five pound coin, a walkway shadowing her funeral route and a new nursing scheme. The Committee is headed by Gordon Brown. (23/6/98)

Al Fayed Plays Down Conspiracy Claims
- Key Diana witnesses meet in Paris

MOHAMMED AL FAYED emerged from the meeting of key witnesses to the Diana/Dodi crash tragedy in Paris to say it was "distressing but helpful."

The Harrods boss has come under fire in the UK media this week for fanning the fires of conspiracy theory but was careful to refrain from making controversial statements at the meeting presided over by Judge Herve Stephan.

Al Fayed has long supported the view that there is something sinister to the deaths of his son, Dodi, and Diana, Princess of Wales but has recently toned down his outbursts on the subject.

The meeting itself was something akin to the last scene in Agatha Christie novels where all the main characters are grilled by Hercule Poirot. As well as Al Fayed, Judge Stephan talked to members of the paparazzi, those witnesses first on the scene that fateful day last August and assorted medical experts. (5/6/98)

Diana Documentary Raises New Crash Doubts
- Attorney General halts MI5 appearance

A NEW documentary raises fresh doubts over the crash that killed Diana , Princess of Wales and Dodi Fayed.

Di's former lover James Hewitt claims he was approached by secret agents prior to the crash telling him to stop seeing the Princess or he would meet the same fate as a former bodyguard who died in "mysterious circumstances".

The program claims there is new evidence regarding driver Henri Paul. Substantial untraceable payments were made to Paul's account in the months leading up to the crash. Unusually high levels of carbon monoxide were found in his body. Blood samples taken from the dead Paul appeared to have been tampered with claims the film.

An appearance in the documentary by MI5 man David Shayler has been withdrawn. The Government's chief lawyer, The Attorney General, told ITV the programme's broadcasters, that the scene had to go or they may have faced prosecution under the Official Secrets Act.

- Memorial Fund comes under fire again
Al Fayed has criticised the trust managers in the Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fund. He said: "It is really sad to see people who were so close to her running the fund like this". The Harrods owner recently paid 2.4 million UKP for Diana's former school in Kent when the fund refused to step in a to rescue the building. It will now be used as a centre for traumatised children, a subject close to Di's heart.

- Al Fayed says Di and Dodi were set to wed
Mohamed Al Fayed, Dodi's father has also claimed that the couple were set to marry. This claim has been denied by Diana's mother.

Diana Memorial Garden in Doubt
- Hundreds of locals protest plans

A PLANNED memorial garden for Kensington Gardens (next to Kensington Palace) in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales has come under fire from local residents.

Angry residents packed a public meeting to object to plans for the 16 acre garden in the grounds of Kensington Palace and Gardens. They called for the Council to abandon the Diana Memorial Committee's proposals. It now seems likely that the council will heed their calls and reject any planning application.

The locals fear that the spot might attract millions of of visitors each year, straining the area's infrastructure and character.

Al Fayed buys Di's former school
- West Heath to be home for deprived kids

Al Fayed has purchased West Heath, the former school in Sevenoaks, Kent, which Diana, Princess of Wales attended as a child.

The school closed in 1997 on the day Di and Dodi died in the car crash in Paris. It will now be used as a home for the Beth Marie Centre, a charity which looks after deprived children.

Fayed, who owns the Harrods department store in Knightsbridge, London, has a long record of substantial charitable donations. He has recently focused his giving on the memory of his son and Diana.

Diana: The Plot Thickens
- Evidence for conspiracy increases with release of "CIA documents"

The Mirror newspaper today published extracts from secret papers which could show that Diana WAS MURDERED after all.

The documents are claimed to originate from the CIA and cost Dodi's father, Al Fayed 10 million UKP to obtain after a series of meetings in Vienna. They allege collusion between the CIA and MI6 in providing the final solution for Diana, Princess of Wales.

A "CIA source in the field" claims in the document that The Duke of Edinburgh said of Di's relationship with Dodi :

"...no son of a bedouin camel trader is fit for the mother of a future king"

"Such an affair is racially and morally repugnant and no son of a bedouin camel trader is fit for the mother of a future king."

The papers also shed light on the vehicles involved in the tragedy. The Mercedes had its electronics tampered with by "K-Team" (Mossad) and the TURBO Fiat Uno was heavily weighted.

Naturally all concerned with this matter, aside from Fayed, state that the documents are false. The vendor of the papers, Oswald LeWinter has already been arrested and is confined to a cell in Vienna, while interpol search for his alleged accomplice Karl Kocher.

Diana Letter Suspect Caught
- Police book Ferretti at London station

ANNA FERRETTI, the woman accused of stealing love letters written by the late Diana, Princess of Wales, is under investigation by the Metropolitan Police.

Earlier New Scotland Yard police officers confirmed that a woman, believed to be Ferretti, was arrested at London's Waterloo station, the UK's main over land gateway to Europe.

Ferretti is alleged to have swiped the 62 letters from a safe belonging to her, and Diana's, former squeeze, James Hewitt.

Ferretti argued that Hewitt planned to sell them to the highest bidder in any event. She wanted to beat him to the prize as she claims he sponged off her during their relationship which now appears to be over.

Diana Dolls Banned
- Sindy-style figurines blocked by Fund

AMERICAN toy company Hambros have been stopped from bringing out a Princess Diana Sindy-style doll, it has emerged.

Toy giant Hambros is the latest casualty of the increasing feeling in some quarters that Diana's name is being besmirched by its on-going commodification, even if it is all done in the name of charity. Only yesterday former Prime Minister John Major added his weight to the idea that businesses were out to exploit the dead Princess's name. Major has recently returned from a US lecture tour where his status as protector of Diana's two sons can have done no harm to the huge fees he charged.

The Princess Diana Memorial Fund, which looks after the rights to Diana's image, refused Hambros permission on the vague grounds that the model was "not appropriate at this time" and added to the air of confusion by saying that it did not rule out approving a different doll in the future. Whether the Hambros version failed the Memorial Fund test on grounds of taste or because it displayed the wrong haircut remains a mystery.

Diana Will Published as New Crash Evidence is Revealed
- Money for kids
- Di told driver to speed up
- Al Fayed Snr arrested

PRINCESS DIANA left virtually her entire estate to her two sons, it was confirmed today.

Six months after her death, Diana's will has now been published and, as expected, the bulk of her UKP29 million personal fortune goes to the two Princes, William and Harry.

Indeed, recent reports that Diana made provison for her butler and 17 god children have been exposed as premature. Instead, the executors of the will handed the money over after being given leave to make changes. Among other changes, the two young Princes will be able to draw an income from their inheritance before they come of age. Diana made the will in 1993 before her divorce from Prince Charles.

Di told driver to speed up

Meanwhile, the only survivor of the crash that left Diana dead spoke today of how the Princess insisted that driver Henri Paul go faster. Bodyguard trevor Rees-Jones also said that Diana cried out the name of Dodi Al Fayed, her lover, moments before the accident. "I have flashes of Dodi's name being called," he revealed.

Rees-Jones also said that Paul had been blinded by the flashlights of paparazi photographers who rode in front of the Mercedes. "God knows how he was coping," Rees-Jones said. The bodyguard's evidence flies in the face of Paris police theories that the chasing press motorcade was some way behind the doomed Mercedes.

Al Fayed Snr arrested

Dodi might have been in Diana's last thoughts, but his father, Mohammed, is now firmly in the thougths of London police, who today arrested the mulit-millionaire owner of Harrods.

Al Fayed spent this morning being questioned by detectives on a theft charge believed to relate to items stolen from business rival Tiny Rowland. Al Fayed was later released on bail.

Di tribute concert announced
Althorp Park to host open air gig

The Spencer family have announced plans for a huge open air concert in the grounds of their home, Althorp Park.

The concert will take place this summer and will feature a glittering array of stars. It is expected that most of the proceeds will go to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial fund. Current plans envisage ticket sales of 15 000. The stage will be near to the island where the late Princess is buried on the estate.

Diana: Pub becomes shrine to late Princess
- England's Rose watering hole set to open

The Feathers public house in Postcombe, Oxfordshire is to be renamed England's Rose in tribute to Diana, Princess of Wales.

The pub is undergoing a 40 000 pound refurbishment and will reopen later this month. One of the bars will be a "shrine" to the late Princess, packed full of photos and memorabilia. Al Fayed has donated a photo of Di aboard his yacht, The Jonikal.

Landlady Sheila Guinnane said "I did not meet the Princess, I am very sad to say, but I absolutely adored her"

Di's Lawyers cash in

Half a million pound bill for Di Memorial Fund

The Diana Princess of Wales Memorial fund has been lumbered with a staggering legal bill for the first five months work by city firm Mishcon de Reya.

The Mirror newspaper reports that the trustees and managers of the fund have already stumped up 300 000 pounds (half a million bucks) to the exclusive legal outfit. They raised their collective eyebrows when Mishcon submitted a further invoice for 200 000 pounds. Lawyers to the rich and famous, the firm had previously won notoriety for turning the screw on the Royals during Di and Charles's divorce settlement a couple of years back.

"We're working at a loss" bleats city firm

Mishcon partner Anthony Julius retorted by saying that the firm was already working at a loss on the account. Anyone catch a bad smell in the air? The world's second oldest profession is not exactly known for working for nothing is it. So next time you have your jumble sale, go door to door fund raising, or whatever in Di's memory, remember a fair chunk of your proceeds may be going on sharp city suits and extended lunches in London's Inns of Court. You have been warned!

Di portrait adds to coffers

Meanwhile a portrait of the Princess, painted after her death, will go up for sale in London's National Portrait Gallery. The painting by Marialuisa Marino will be auctioned by London mayor hopeful Lord Archer. Proceeds will go to the City Ballet.

Di Death Car Crashed At 60 Mph

A LEADING crash investigator has claimed that the Mercedes in which Diana, Princess of Wales and three other passengers met their death was travelling at 60 mph. This is HALF the speed claimed at the start of the investigation. Back in September we claimed that talk of 120mph seemed exaggerated, a view widely accepted in our Diana Conspiracy Pages.

The investigator, Professor Murray Mackay, also claims that all four passengers would have survived if the tunnel where the accident happened would have been fitted with crash barriers. His claims come in Channel Four's Crash programme shown Tuesday at 21.00. Really cynical cynics might suspect these fresh claims to be "mighty helpful" for the success of the programme which deals in the main with the more mundane world of real-time accidents.

Di Tops Dummy Poll

THE WAX model of Diana, Princess of Wales has topped a Madame Tussauds poll to find the world's most beautiful woman, it has been revealed. The famous wax museum on London's Baker Street asked 500 of its recent visitors to name their top beauties and, just a few months after her death, it is perhaps no surprise that Diana won through.

There was a shock, however, for Tory Party leader William Hague who failed to get even one nomination in the category of most important British politician. Even former party boss John Major garnered a few votes and 1980s leaderine Margaret Thatcher managed to beat current Prime Minister Tony Blair. All modern dummies were left trailing, however, by war time premier Winston Churchill.

Meanwhile, fresh controversy surrounds the Princess's death after it was revealed that Henri Paul, the driver of the Mercedes which hit the wall of a Paris tunnel last August, had tipped off the paparazzi on the route he was to take before the fatal crash.

Di-abolical?

- Tickets for Di's Althorp Go On Sale
- Good Value or a RIP-Off?

A SPECIAL Di-hotline was jam packed today with callers from around Britain and the world clamouring to snap up tickets for this summer's Althorp open days in July and August.

The family seat of the Spencer family, Althorp, will play host to up to 70 000 Di-Philes making the homage to the last resting place of their beloved Princess. Visitors get to see a new Di museum (being hastily erected in a former stable block) and Althorp House itself (where no Spencers actually live). They will not gain access to a private island on the estate where Di is actually buried. The closest they will get to the Princess's tomb will be a hundred metre peer across the pond.

The price? 9 pounds fifty pence (15 bucks). The challenge? To get your ticket before they all sell out.

London's Pulse

DEATH OF THE PRINCESS

Judge's Questions Over Diana's Death - French Judge Herve Stephan issues investigation statement

Did Speeding Driver Kill Di? - Francois Levistre believes he could have caused death crash

Chauffeur: Diana Car Brakes Were Faulty - Driver tells of serious problem for doomed Mercedes

TV Go-ahead for Cartoon Diana - Channel 5 lead bidding for kids film

Brown Backs Di Garden Plan - Chancellor 100 per cent behind controversial memorial scheme

Diana Garden Revealed - Memorial plans on view in public exhibition

Diana Has Gone To The Dogs Princess's burial site is pet graveyard reveals housekeeper

Althorp Opens

Althorp Concert - Fans saved complete washout

Al Fayed Lashes Out At "Monstrous" Earl - Diana's brother, Earl Spencer accused of 'blatant commercialism'

Diana Memorial Garden Showdown - Princess's Memorial Committee backs plan - Local residents mount campaign to block scheme

Al Fayed Plays Down Conspiracy Claims - Key Diana witnesses meet in Paris

Diana Documentary Raises New Crash Doubts - Attorney General halts MI5 appearance

Diana Memorial Garden in Doubt - Hundreds of locals protest plans

Al Fayed buys Di's former school - West Heath to be home for deprived kids

Diana: The Plot Thickens - Evidence for conspiracy increases with release of "CIA documents"

Diana Letter Suspect Caught - Police book Ferretti at London station

Diana Dolls Banned - Sindy-style figurines blocked by Fund

Diana Will Published as New Crash Evidence is Revealed - Money for kids - Di told driver to speed up - Al Fayed Snr arrested

Di tribute concert announced Althorp Park to host open air gig

Diana: Pub becomes shrine to late Princess - England's Rose watering hole set to open