Di thought Mohamed al Fayed was spying on her

Princess Diana believed that Mohamed al Fayed was spying on her during her stay on his luxury yacht, the inquest into her death has heard.

London, Jan 29 : Princess Diana believed that Mohamed al Fayed was spying on her during her stay on his luxury yacht, the inquest into her death has heard.

Diana's sister Lady Sarah McCorquodale told the jury that the princess had discussed her suspicions in a phone call days before she died in Paris on August 31 1997.

Lady Sarah revealed that her sister was calling from the al Fayed yacht, the Jonikal, where she was on a Mediterranean cruise with the Harrods tycoon's son Dodi Fayed.

Ian Burnett QC, for the coroner, asked Lady McCorquodale: "Did the Princess speak to you from the boat about bugging?"

She replied: "Yes, she thought the boat was being bugged by Mr al Fayed senior."

She said that Diana had phoned her from what she had "assumed" was her mobile telephone.

She also said that Diana's remarks during the conversation made it very clear that her romance with Dodi was nearly over.

Lady Sarah also revealed that Diana had been "distraught" because she felt she had been misquoted in a French newspaper about her landmines campaign.

"There had been an article in a French newspaper, Le Monde, about landmines," The Sun quoted her, as telling the inquest.

"She was very upset because she felt she had been misquoted and as a result had appeared to look like she was criticising the government. She was distraught," she added.

Lady Sarah also revealed that she suggested Diana to speak to Dodi about the matter, but the princess replied: "That would be a waste of time."

"From that, I just did not think that the relationship had much longer to go," Lady Sarah told the court.

ANI