Princes William and Harry are hoping today that the long-awaited conclusion of the inquest into their mother's death will put an end to speculation she was murdered.

Princes William and Harry are hoping today that the long-awaited conclusion of the inquest into their mother's death will put an end to speculation she was murdered.

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

After 10-and-a-half years and inquiries likely to cost taxpayers well over £12 million, the 11 jury members concluded yesterday that the "People's Princess" was unlawfully killed by bad driving.

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.

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."

They added: "The two of us would like to express our most profound gratitude to all those who fought so desperately to save our mother's life on that tragic night."

The Princes singled out the sole survivor of the crash, bodyguard Trevor Rees, and thanked him for reliving the moments that led up to the car smash when he appeared in the inquest witness box.

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

Diana and Dodi were killed alongside Mr Paul when the Mercedes he was driving slammed into the 13th pillar of the Alma Tunnel in Paris on August 31 1997.

Mr al Fayed has never accepted, despite compelling evidence, that Mr Paul - his employee - was drink-driving, choosing to believe the crash was plotted by the Duke of Edinburgh and MI6.

After sitting through the evidence of 278 witnesses over six months and deliberating for almost 24 hours, the jury reached the joint verdicts on the deaths of Diana and Dodi by majorities of nine-to-two.

They added, through a series of extra narrative conclusions, that they believed Mr Paul had been drinking and was going too fast - just like the French and British police investigations which went before.

Al Fayed disappointed' at inquest outcome

Mohamed al Fayed was left "disappointed" last night at the end of the inquest into the deaths of his son and Princess Diana.

The Harrods boss still insisted the couple were "murdered", as he left court following a verdict of unlawful killing.

In a statement read by his spokeswoman, he said millions of his supporters around the world would also be frustrated by the result of the inquest.

Mr al Fayed also claimed the inquest verdict discredited the two police investigations that found the crash was an accident.

The statement continued: "The French and the Scotland Yard inquiries were wrong. These inquests prove it. They said it was an accident and their findings are now dismissed."

Mr al Fayed's statement said the inquest was not a waste of time, because it revealed new facts.

These included evidence that Diana and Dodi's relationship was serious and that he and his son were "blameless" in planning the fatal final journey.

But he said it was "shocking" that French police, senior officials, paparazzi and pathologists refused to give evidence.

He also criticised the inquest for failing to call Prince Philip and the Queen as witnesses.