No intelligence plot against Diana

Princess Diana died in Paris in August 1997

In a HARDtalk interview on January 26, one of Princess Diana's closest aides told Tim Sebastian that he does not believe the conspiracy theories surrounding her death in a Paris underpass in 1997.

Patrick Jephson was Diana's Private Secretary between 1990-1996 and says he didn't think the car crash in which the Princess and Dodi Fayed died "was a plot by the intelligence services".

Speaking to Tim Sebastian, he said: "I suppose I am sceptical about conspiracy theories. I tend more towards the cock-up theory of history."

Inquests into the deaths of the Princess and Mr Fayed were opened and adjourned by Royal Coroner Michael Burgess on January 6.

The pretty simple truth is that if she had been wearing a seat belt that day...she would still be alive Patrick Jephson

The Metropolitan Police are to conduct an inquiry into the crash following revelations that Diana believed Prince Charles was planning to have her killed in a car crash.

Mr Jephson said, "I sat next to Princess Diana for the best part of 8 years in cars and boats and aeroplanes. I took a pretty close interest in any threats to her security".

He thought her death could have been prevented.

"As I see it, the pretty simple truth is that if she had been wearing a seat belt that day, there is every likelihood she would still be alive."

An accident?

Mr Jephson went on to tell Tim Sebastian that he was not a conspiracy theorist.

"To all intents and purposes it appears to have been an accident. And if the Coroner discovers otherwise then I would certainly be surprised and interested. "

He (Prince Charles) was the only one who could come close to understanding the sorts of pressures she was under Patrick Jephson

According to Mr Jephson, the only man that Princess Diana loved was her husband, Prince Charles:

"Of all the men in the world, particularly all the men in her life, he was the only one who could come close to understanding the sorts of pressures she was under."

" After all, he lived a very similar life to her and none of the other men who came into her life I don't think were able properly to share a lot of burdens she carried."

HARDtalk can be seen on BBC World at 04:30 GMT, 11:30 GMT, 15:30 GMT, 19:30 GMT and 00:30 GMT

It can also be seen on BBC News 24 at 04:30 and 23:30