Princes welcome Diana verdict

The young royals said they agreed with the jury's verdict that Diana, Princess of Wales died because of gross negligence by both her driver Henri Paul and pursuing paparazzi.

Former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lord Stevens, whose Paget inquiry investigated the conspiracy theories, said he hoped Diana and her lover Dodi Fayed would be allowed to rest in peace.

But Dodi's father, Mohamed al Fayed, expressed his disappointment at the verdicts and his spokesman made clear he could still mount a legal challenge.

Thanking the jury, William and Harry said in a statement: "We agree with their verdicts, and are both hugely grateful to each and every one of them for the forbearance they have shown in accepting such significant disruption to their lives over the past six months."

Meanwhile, Diana's former butler Paul Burrell is waiting to learn whether he will face a police perjury investigation after allegedly lying to the inquest.

Scotland Yard refused to confirm whether it planned to launch an inquiry, but the Crown Prosecution Service said it would examine any police file on the matter presented to it.

In a statement issued moments after the jury's decision, Mr al Fayed described the verdicts as both a vindication of his conspiracy theories and a "blow to the many millions of people around the world who have supported my struggle".

He insisted the hearing, held largely at his behest, was not a waste of time or money.

During his summing up, the Coroner had said there was "not a shred of evidence" to back up Mr al Fayed's claims. Although he ruled out the possibility of a verdict which would have pointed to a murder plot, the jury went further by pinning the blame partly on one of Mr al Fayed's employees.