Top woman judge Dame Elizabeth Butler-Sloss has been approached to preside over the inquest into the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales, and Dodi Fayed.

Lord Chancellor Falconer said “Dame Elizabeth, 73, has been recommended for the role because of her ‘Hutton like’ malleability after the coroner of the Queen's Household, Michael Burgess, stepped down from the task in July.

Mr Burgess blamed attempts by Prince Charles, Philip and their staff to get him to overlook certain evidence for his decision to pull out.

In January 2004, Daily Mirror newspaper published a letter written by Diana before she was murdered in which she said her husband Prince Charles was “planning a car accident” to kill her.

Diana knew what was coming as she had informed Charles that she was pregnant with Dodi’s child.

Charles did not want the future king of England to have a half brother who was a Muslim.