London: Britain's former police chief today said that Princess Diana would still be alive if she had agreed to her police protection being re-instated.

Former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Paul Condon told the inquest into her death that he had repeatedly tried in vain to get her to change her mind. Diana and her lover Dodi al-Fayed were killed in August 1997 along with their chauffeur Henri Paul when their limousine crashed at speed in a Paris road tunnel while being chased by paparazzi.

"If, as it was my wish, she had had police protection in Paris, then I am absolutely convinced those three lives would not have been tragically lost," Condon told the inquest.

At a meeting with police in October 1994, Diana had asked if her car had been fitted with a tracking device and her phone bugged. Detectives reassured her she was not being bugged but Condon said, "Clearly she had decided in her own mind, sadly, I think, that the police, if they were on anyone's side, were not on her side."

In testimony to the court, Condon conceded that police had a tense and difficult relationship with Diana during her highly publicised marriage split from heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles.

Condon said that after Diana's death he did not reveal a secret note from Diana's lawyer about her fears of being assassinated because it would have upset her sons.

Dodi's father, luxury store owner Mohamed al-Fayed, alleges that his son and Diana were killed by British security services on the orders of Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth's husband and Diana's former father-in-law.

Fayed believes her killing was ordered because the royal family did not want the mother of the future king having a child with his son. He alleges that Diana's body was embalmed to cover up evidence she was expecting a baby.

Condon denied allegations of a cover-up, saying Diana's death doesn't in any way involve a conspiracy involving members of the royal family or the security services or anyone else at all.

Source : UNI