Diana 'rumours' on night of crash

Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris in 1997

There were rumours that Diana, Princess of Wales, was to announce a pregnancy or engagement to Dodi Al Fayed on the night she died, an inquest has heard.

A photographer said in a statement that on 30 August 1997, paparazzi outside the Ritz Hotel in Paris were told to expect an imminent announcement.

The jury also heard evidence from a chauffeur who said he had seen Princess Diana in the back of the crashed car.

She had her eyes open and was apparently conscious, he said.

The Mercedes carrying Diana and Mr Al Fayed crashed in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel while being followed by paparazzi.

In a statement, chauffeur Eric Lifalandry said he had been driving past the tunnel shortly after the crash, and had stopped to assist.

He said he had seen people tending to the front-seat passenger, bodyguard Trevor Rees, and a female passenger in the back - although he did not realise it was Diana.

[My editor] told me that there were rumours of an announcement that Lady Diana was getting married or having a baby and asked me to go to the Ritz Hotel Thierry Orban, photographer

His statement, read to the court, said: "I looked in the back of the car and saw a woman on the floor with her back against the rear right-hand door as someone was attending to her.

"I then noticed her open her eyes, I said to myself that she was alive, and then went on to the driver.

"I saw his white hand. I knew that he was dead. I couldn't see his face."

Photographer called

The inquest also heard how photographer Thierry Orban, of the Sigma picture agency, told police that between 2100 and 2130 on 30 August he had been asked by his chief editor to go to the hotel specifically because news was expected.

His statement, which was read to the jury, said: "He told me that there were rumours of an announcement that Lady Diana was getting married or having a baby and asked me to go to the Ritz Hotel."

It went on to say that later, in the early hours of 31 August, he was called again and went to the Pont de l'Alma tunnel after the crash.

Mr Orban said he had remained there until Princess Diana's ambulance left.

He said he had photographed the ambulance when it stopped just a short distance from the Pitie Salpetriere Hospital, when the princess's condition deteriorated sharply.

He said: "The ambulance stopped, the driver got out and got into the back, that was when I took the only photograph of the ambulance, which in any case was blurry.

"It was rocking as if they were doing cardiac massage. Then the ambulance carried on to the Pitie Salpetriere Hospital."

Princess Diana's Mercedes crashed while being pursued by paparazzi

A statement by British solicitor Gary Hunter, who was staying at the Royal Alma Hotel near the scene of the crash, was read to the court.

Mr Hunter, who has since died, said in his statement that he had heard an "almighty crash", and had spotted two cars travelling at an "inordinate speed".

He said that when he looked out of the window again minutes later, he thought he saw a white Mercedes and a small black car speeding away from the tunnel before turning out of his sight.

He said the white Mercedes was almost touching the rear bumper of the small dark vehicle and that led him to believe that the white car was somehow trying to shield the rear of the small black car.

Motorcycle speed

Severine Peyret, a passenger in a Saab convertible driven by her then boyfriend, told the inquest that she heard the sound of the crash in the tunnel behind them and then saw a motorcycle speed past them at a "tres grande vitesse" - a very high speed.

Mrs Peyret said she concluded that the motorcycle was somehow involved in the crash, which neither she or her boyfriend - now her husband - witnessed.

"I quickly understood that the motorcycle could have been implied in the collision and that its rider was trying to get away from the place," she told police in a statement.

She was unable to describe the type of motorcycle, but said there was only one person onboard.