The process of selecting the jury for the Diana, Princess of Wales, inquest got under way today as up to 200 potential jurors filed into the High Court.

Eleven of these ordinary members of the public will be asked to decide once and for all how one of the world’s most famous women died when the inquest starts next week.

The candidates had assembled at Westminster Coroner’s Court this morning and, without prior notification, were taken by coach to the High Court.

In his opening address, the coroner, Lord Justice Scott Baker, said it had most likely come as a “shock” to them that they had been summoned for this inquest.

He said: “Ladies and gentleman, you have been summoned for jury service, not for any ordinary case, but to serve on a jury on the inquest into the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales, and Dodi al Fayed.

“It will probably have come as a shock to you and you will be wondering why you have not been given any advance notice.

“Let me explain. The deaths of these two people have created worldwide interest on an unprecedented scale.

“Millions of words have been spoken and written. There are numerous books, television programmes, articles that have been published, some by those who are closely involved in surrounding events and some not.”

But, he told the potential jurors, every case must be decided on the evidence in court and not from anything on television, in the newspapers or elsewhere.

Before the possible jurors had arrived in court, Lord Justice Scott Baker had outlined the selection procedure to lawyers. He told them that the jury panel would be brought in in two groups and would be given a questionnaire to take away to complete, to see if there was any reason why they should be excused jury service.

The eventual final 11 would be selected from a shortlist by ballot, he said.

Lord Justice Scott Baker told the first batch of potential jurors that it was very important they should not go away and start researching the case on the internet, in books, television programmes or elsewhere. Had they known in advance that they were to be called there might have been a “great temptation” to do so.

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