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Diana butler giving more evidence Diana 'said Queen would abdicate'
(about 6 hours later)
Princess Diana's former butler is to spend a second day giving evidence at the inquest into her death. Princess Diana claimed the Queen would abdicate in April 1996, her former lawyer has told her inquest.
Paul Burrell's testimony has already revealed details of the intimate relationship the princess shared with heart specialist Hasnat Khan. Maggie Rae said Diana stated to her lawyers in October 1995 that the Queen would stand aside for Prince Charles.
The princess also said there were plans to sideline her through an accident where she would be seriously injured, Ms Rae told the hearing.
Diana's former butler Paul Burrell will give more evidence at the inquest into the deaths of Diana and Dodi Al Fayed.
The princess and Mr Al Fayed died after a car crash in a Paris road tunnel in 1997.
Royal succession
Princess Diana's claims came at a meeting with her legal team at Kensington Palace, said Ms Rae.
Diana also told the lawyers that she felt the succession should skip a generation and that her son, Prince William, should be made king.
Her leading lawyer, Lord Mishcon, was so surprised by what she said at the meeting that he made a note of it and kept it securely until after her death.
In the note, Lord Mishcon said he was alarmed and asked the princess's private secretary Patrick Jephson whether any of it could be true.
Mr Jephson said he did half-believe some of it.
Microwaving meals
Ms Rae said she had also been surprised and did not really believe that any of the claims could be backed up.
She said she had been taken aback by the meeting and felt that the princess had been very lonely, living a rather strange existence at Kensington Palace, and perhaps certain things had played on her mind.
Ms Rae talked at the inquest of Diana being in lonely, silent apartments at Kensington Palace.
She said she had spoken to Diana one weekend when the princess had been alone all the time and microwaving her own meals.
Sparked friction
Mr Burrell's testimony has already revealed details of the intimate relationship the princess shared with heart specialist Hasnat Khan.
And he has told how the relationship sparked friction with her mother Frances Shand Kydd.And he has told how the relationship sparked friction with her mother Frances Shand Kydd.
Mr Burrell's testimony was due to last one day, but he failed to hand over relevant documents to the inquest.Mr Burrell's testimony was due to last one day, but he failed to hand over relevant documents to the inquest.
'Hot-foot' And, on the idea that any member of the royal family was behind a plot to kill Diana - not true, according to Mr Burrell The BBC's Daniela Relph class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7188595.stm">What the butler saw
He told the court he had kept a journal or diary during his time with the princess, but was reluctant to disclose them.He told the court he had kept a journal or diary during his time with the princess, but was reluctant to disclose them.
Mr Burrell, 49, said that he was happy for the coroner to look at letters written to him by the princess.Mr Burrell, 49, said that he was happy for the coroner to look at letters written to him by the princess.
And, on the idea that any member of the royal family was behind a plot to kill Diana - not true, according to Mr Burrell The BBC's Daniela Relph class="" href="/1/hi/uk/7188595.stm">What the butler saw He said his journal and diary were "very private and very personal", and he did not think they had any connection to the circumstances surrounding Diana's death.
But he said his journal and diary were "very private and very personal", and he did not think they had any connection to the circumstances surrounding Diana's death.
But the coroner, Lord Justice Scott Baker, told him to "hot-foot" it overnight from London to his home in Cheshire to retrieve the material.But the coroner, Lord Justice Scott Baker, told him to "hot-foot" it overnight from London to his home in Cheshire to retrieve the material.
In the early hours Mr Burrell arrived at his home and spent 50 minutes gathering documents. In the early hours, Mr Burrell arrived at his home and spent 50 minutes gathering documents.
Outside he told reporters that he could not comment about the nature of the documents or anything to do with the inquest because he was still under oath.Outside he told reporters that he could not comment about the nature of the documents or anything to do with the inquest because he was still under oath.