Intimate letters between Diana, Princess of Wales, and her lover Dodi Fayed in which the Princess refers to herself as “this particular chick” were made public yesterday.

The “Darling Dodi” letters, written weeks before the pair died in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997, detail the Princess’s gratitude and affection for Mr Fayed, who had recently gone on holiday with her aboard his yacht.

The two letters were shown at the inquest on a day when two witnesses – Rosa Monckton, a friend of the Princess, and Kelly Fisher, who claims to be have been engaged to Mr Fayed – became tearful under questioning.

The court was also told that the Princess regretted giving a television interview with Martin Bashir in 1995.

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The first Diana and Dodi letter, written on August 6, was read to the jury by Michael Mansfield, QC, who acts for Mohamed Al Fayed, Dodi’s father. “Darling Dodi,” she wrote. “Heaven knows where on earth I can begin to thank you for the most magical six days on the ocean waves. I adored it all and every possible minute was full of laughter and happiness, and that combination is a serious treat.”

She made a reference to a conversation in which Mr Fayed “had a burden removed” before concluding: “This comes with all the love in the world and, as always, a million heartfelt thanks for bringing such joy into this particular chick’s life. From Diana xx.”

Rosa Monckton, a confidante of the Princess, gave evidence that the letter did not necessarily suggest that the Princess was in love because she “tended to speak in an extravagant way”. But she conceded that a second letter suggested a deeper relationship.

The Princess’s second letter, dated August 13, referred to a pair of cufflinks that she enclosed as a gift. “Darling Dodi, these cufflinks were the very last gift that I received from a man I loved most in the world – my father . . . with fondest love, Diana.”

Ms Monckton also disclosed that the Princess regretted her television interview with Mr Bashir on Panorama in November 1995. Ms Monckton said that the interview had been undignified and did not help princes William and Harry. “Exposing herself in that way . . . It is something that should have been done in private.”

At one point Ms Monckton broke down in tears when Mr Mansfield persistently asked her about the closeness of her relationship to the Princess.

Lord Justice Scott Baker, coroner for the inquest, upbraided Mr Mansfield for his conduct. He said: “You have been fairly close to the line on a number of occasions and I ask you to be careful not to trespass into the wrong side of it.”

The coroner cautioned Mr Mansfield a second time after he upset Kelly Fisher, who claims that she was engaged to Mr Fayed when the millionaire playboy began his courtship with the Princess. The former model, who posed for adverts for Calvin Klein and L’Oréal, described Mr Fayed as having a “macho attitude”. She also suggested that Henri Paul, who was driving the Mercedes when it crashed into a pillar in the Paris underpass, would not have driven quickly without being instructed to do so.

Mr Fayed met Ms Fisher in the summer of 1996 and had begun suggesting marriage within months. “I thought in the beginning it was a joke . . . and then he started saying it more,” she said. Ms Fisher said that Mr Fayed was fond of buying her expensive gifts. In September 1996 she moved into his flat in Paris. Asked how Mr Fayed treated his butler and driver, Ms Fisher said: “Badly. I did ask him why does he treat his staff like that, and he said, ‘Oh, they are expendable’.”

In February 1997 he presented her with an engagement ring at the Beverly Hills Hotel in California. Ms Fisher said that they made a prenuptial agreement that would give her an allowance of $500,000 (£250,000) a year, but they fell out when the money was slow to arrive. The couple argued again in the summer of 1997 when she was meant to fly to St Tropez with Mr Fayed. In the event, Mr Fayed went without her. Despite describing that period of their relationship as “not great”, she believed that she and Mr Fayed were to be married on August 9.

But by then Ms Fisher had seen photographs of Mr Fayed kissing the Princess. She managed to speak to him in a telephone conversation, which she taped. “I said to him, ‘Dodi, it’s in all the papers’, and he still denied it.”

Ms Fisher became upset when Mr Mansfield questioned her about her relationship with Mr Fayed. “It is quite humiliating to sit here and try to prove to people that someone wanted to marry you. He did want to marry me. He asked my family. He bought us a house to live in. He bought a beautiful engagement ring. We were engaged.”

The inquest continues.

Extracts from the love letters

Heaven knows where on earth I begin to thank you for the most magical six days on the ocean waves! It is a bit of ’oh, my God’ situation!! I adored it all & every possible minute was full of laughter & happiness, & that combination is a serious treat! However, I shall always remember, in particular, the consequences of your conversation with Rita – I have never seen or felt such a huge burden being removed as what happened to you – Long, long overdue, & now you are able to benefit from peace of mind in a very personal way. This comes with all the love in the world & as always a million heartfelt thanks for bringing such joy into this particular chick’s life,“ From, x Diana. x

August 6, 1997

These cufflinks were the very last gift that I received from the man I loved most in the world – My Father – They are given to you as I know how much joy it would give him to know they were in such safe & special hands . . . Fondest love, from, Diana. x

August 13, 1997

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