London: The British government on October 21 turned down a demand for a public inquiry into Princess Diana's death, a day after it was revealed she had feared that a plot was being hatched to kill her.

Diana reportedly wrote in a letter to her former butler Paul Burrell in Oct 1996, 10 months before her death in car crash in Paris, that someone was "planning an accident in my car, to make the path clear for Charles to marry", which was published in 'Daily Mirror'.

"Everybody knows there has been an exhaustive investigation by the French authorities into the circumstances surrounding Diana's death, and there will be nothing to be gained from repeating that here," the Prime Minister's spokesman said.

"But clearly there will be a routine coroner's inquest in Britain once the French legal processes are completed," he said.

Meanwhile, excerpts published from Burrell's new book "A Royal Duty" revealed that Prince Philip in a letter castigated Diana for her behaviour, which he claimed was partly responsible for driving Charles into the arms of his lover.

The Duke of Edinburgh wrote to Diana at the height of her marriage crisis in 1992.

"We do not approve of either of you having lovers. Charles was silly to risk everything with Camilla for a man in his position. We never dreamed he might feel like leaving you for her. I cannot imagine anyone in their right mind leaving you for Camilla," he wrote.

PTI