Diana's AInquest: Alleged Engagement Ring Considered Inexpensive

Britain's Princess Diana's 'engagement' ring was from the "cheap" range, her inquest heard yesterday (12/11/07).

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Jewellery shop worker Emanuele Gobbo claims the Ł11,500 ($23,455) gold ring, which Diana's lover Dodi Fayed bought for her, was from the general stock collection rather than being a one-off bespoke piece.

He also said Dodi would have been given a 50 per cent VIP discount and never mentioned anything about an engagement when he purchased the ring. Gobbo - an employee of Repossi Jewelers in Paris - said: "The word 'engagement' ring was never pronounced. It was for sure he was looking for a ring, but he never said it was for an engagement ring." Storeowner Alberto Repossi claimed multi-millionaire Dodi had asked for an engagement ring to be made in Diana's size.

Nicholas Hilliard QC, counsel to the inquest, suggested the ring that was later delivered to Dodi was ready-made "for people on a more limited budget", rather than someone of his wealth.

Yesterday, Sebastien Trotte, a former barman at the Hotel Ritz Paris where Diana and Dodi were staying, told the jury the princess' driver did not appear to be intoxicated.

He said he served Paul two 4cl measures of Ricard - aniseed spirit - as he sat with bodyguards while they waited "for the signal" for the princess and Dodi to leave, but did not seem "in any sense drunk".

Ian Burnett QC, another counsel for the inquest, asked him: "Did he appear to you to have had too much to drink?" Trotte replied: "No." When Trotte was asked, "Did he appear to you to be in any sense drunk?" he replied: "No."

Diana and Dodi, along with Paul, were killed in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997. Two inquiries into the death ruled Paul was over the drink-drive limit and was responsible for the crash.