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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Duke's 'cruel' letters to Diana | Duke's 'cruel' letters to Diana |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Duke of Edinburgh wrote cruel and disparaging letters to Princess Diana, the inquest into her death has been told by an alternative therapist. | The Duke of Edinburgh wrote cruel and disparaging letters to Princess Diana, the inquest into her death has been told by an alternative therapist. |
| Simone Simmons, who is a complementary therapist, told the London hearing she had seen the letters. | Simone Simmons, who is a complementary therapist, told the London hearing she had seen the letters. |
| She told the inquest she had been shown two letters by Diana from Prince Philip, dating from 1994 or 1995 and that these were "derogatory". | She told the inquest she had been shown two letters by Diana from Prince Philip, dating from 1994 or 1995 and that these were "derogatory". |
| Diana and Dodi Al Fayed died in a Paris car crash in August 1997. | |
| Ms Simmons first met Diana in 1993 and had an ongoing friendship with the princess, although the pair did fall out several times, according to the BBC's Nicholas Witchell. | Ms Simmons first met Diana in 1993 and had an ongoing friendship with the princess, although the pair did fall out several times, according to the BBC's Nicholas Witchell. |
| During the inquest she said the letters she had seen were one handwritten and one typewritten. | During the inquest she said the letters she had seen were one handwritten and one typewritten. |
| I believed that if they could bump Diana off, then they could bump anyone off and I value my life Simone Simmons | I believed that if they could bump Diana off, then they could bump anyone off and I value my life Simone Simmons |
| "Diana read one out to me," she said. "She was absolutely furious, she was imitating the duke's voice at the time and at the end she said 'what a cheek'." | "Diana read one out to me," she said. "She was absolutely furious, she was imitating the duke's voice at the time and at the end she said 'what a cheek'." |
| Ms Simmons said the duke had made cruel and disparaging observations about the propriety of the princess' behaviour. | Ms Simmons said the duke had made cruel and disparaging observations about the propriety of the princess' behaviour. |
| Ms Simmons also said she had what she called a dossier under her mattress on what the princess had been compiling about landmines. | Ms Simmons also said she had what she called a dossier under her mattress on what the princess had been compiling about landmines. |
| Diana was an ardent campaigner against the use of the weapons. | Diana was an ardent campaigner against the use of the weapons. |
| Safety fears | Safety fears |
| The therapist said the document was several inches thick but that she burnt it after Diana's death because she was afraid of what might happen to her. | The therapist said the document was several inches thick but that she burnt it after Diana's death because she was afraid of what might happen to her. |
| She said: "I believed that if they could bump Diana off, then they could bump anyone off and I value my life." | She said: "I believed that if they could bump Diana off, then they could bump anyone off and I value my life." |
| However, just before she left the witness box Ms Simmons agreed with counsel for the inquest that no member of the Royal Family "would ever have harmed" the princess. | However, just before she left the witness box Ms Simmons agreed with counsel for the inquest that no member of the Royal Family "would ever have harmed" the princess. |
| The jury at the inquest has previously seen extracts of other letters between Diana and the Duke of Edinburgh. | The jury at the inquest has previously seen extracts of other letters between Diana and the Duke of Edinburgh. |
| That correspondence, presented to the High Court hearing by Prince Philip's private secretary Brigadier Sir Miles Hunt-Davis, dates from between June and September 1992. | That correspondence, presented to the High Court hearing by Prince Philip's private secretary Brigadier Sir Miles Hunt-Davis, dates from between June and September 1992. |
| In those handwritten replies, Diana referred to him as "Dearest Pa" and praised his "great understanding and tact". | In those handwritten replies, Diana referred to him as "Dearest Pa" and praised his "great understanding and tact". |
| The inquest continues. | The inquest continues. |