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Taken just hours before she died, previously unseen CCTV footage released yesterday shows an entirely different side to her during her fateful stay with Dodi Fayed in Paris.

For more than ten years, the abiding image of her on the night she died in August 1997 was of a haunted, hunted figure as she exited the Ritz Hotel to begin her final terrible journey.

Now, the film released yesterday by the coroner at the inquest into her death has provided the most detailed picture of the princess and her lover on their last day together.

It came as the inquest jury heard:

• Diana was on the Pill

• She was embalmed not to conceal any pregnancy, but to preserve her body

• Letters to Diana from Prince Philip may have been stolen

• The mystery of the so-called engagement ring

• Driver Henri Paul's £170,000 savings, Prozac and alcoholism.

One picture released yesterday sums up Diana's mood. Sharing a lift with Dodi and a hotel official, she radiates happiness.

Sunglasses perched on her blonde hair and dressed in a linen trouser suit, the carefree princess smiles up into the tiny camera.

It is in sharp contrast to the last photograph - released on Tuesday - in which she appears anxious and agitated as Henri Paul drives her and Dodi to their death. The emergence of the images also added one intriguing new twist to the couple's controversial relationship.

At one point, Dodi Fayed is filmed bounding up the steps of the hotel back to Diana clutching a brochure from the exclusive Repossi jewelry shop 100 yards away. Shortly afterwards, a senior Ritz official is filmed returning from the same shop carrying a bag.

What it contains is not made clear. But its existence goes to the heart of claims by Dodi's father, Harrods boss Mohamed al Fayed, that the couple were about to publicly announce their engagement.

The footage released by coroner Lord Justice Scott Baker was amassed from the network of 43 security cameras at the Ritz.

The first sight of the princess and Dodi comes at 4.35pm, when their limousine arrives at the rear.

Dodi shepherds her gently forward with his hand on her arm as they step into the lift, heading up to the Imperial Suite. With them is Claude Roulet, assistant to the Ritz President Frank Klein.

It is at this point that the last picture of Diana smiling is taken as the three people squeeze into the tiny, mirrored lift and travel up to the first floor.

About an hour later, bodyguard Trevor Rees- Jones escorts Dodi into a limousine for the journey to Repossi - where, according to his father, he had arranged to collect the specially-chosen 'Dit moi, oui' (Tell me, yes) engagement ring.

Ten minutes later Dodi returns , the Repossi brochure visible in his right hand and goes back to the Imperial Suite, and Diana.

At 6.27pm, Claude Roulet is filmed leaving the main entrance, passing Henri Paul coming in, and walks across to the jewelers.

Twelve minutes later, he returns carrying a bag in his left hand. He writes a brief note at the cashiers desk before going up to Diana and Dodi's suite. Mr Roulet then comes back to the cashier, and this time signs another form and the Repossi bag is stored in the strong room.

At 6.55 pm, the couple leave the Ritz - are not filmed again until their return to the hotel shortly before 10pm. Paparazzi have already gathered and Diana is stern-faced as the couple force their way into the hotel through revolving doors.

Originally they were to due to dine at a Parisian restaurant, but paparazzi attention forced them to come back and eat at the Ritz.

But once inside, there were too many people and they decided to have supper in the privacy of their Imperial Suite. The last CCTV image shown yesterday was taken at 10.03pm, when Dodi and Diana disappear inside.

(Courtesy: Daily Mail, UK)

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