IT has taken more than 90 days, 270 witnesses and a bill of ￡10 million for UK taxpayers to hear the final and definitive decision that Princess Diana and her companion Dodi Fayed were unlawfully killed in a car crash in Paris 11 years ago.

The jury at the inquests into the deaths of the couple announced their verdict on Monday. The jury blamed the deaths on a combination of the drunk chauffeur, Henri Paul, and the paparazzi who were dogging their final journey.

Paul, who also died in the crash, was said to have been driving at twice the legal speed limit with three times the lefal limit of alcohol in his blood stream.

The decision comes as a blow to Dodi's father, Mohamed Al Fayed, who has claimed for many years that the two were murdered in a criminal conspiracy by the British establishment.

Princes William and Harry said on Monday thanking the jurors for the "thorough" way they considered the evidence. They also thanked those who fought desperately to save their mother's life on that tragic night".

Possible jury verdicts

Murder: a serious crime; severe punishment will be imposed on the murderers

Unlawful killing: a crime, but not as serious as a murder. It carries punishment, but in the case of Diana, the people who are responsible – the dead driver and the paparazzi are beyond the jurisdiction of an English court, as they were all not British.

Accidental death: the softest verdict among the three, and not a crime. The French judicial inquiry said the death of the Princess was an accident.

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生词：
allegedly 据称地

conspiracy 阴谋

definitive 权威性的

establishment 权势集团

inquest 审理

judicial 司法的

jurisdiction 权限

jury 陪审团

paparazzi 深刻的

verdict 裁决

Bonus

Excerpts

Prince William and Prince Harry issued a statement expressing thanks on Monday. Here's how they phrased it.

"We should like to thank the members of the Jury at the Inquests into the deaths of our mother…"

would/should like to thank sb for sth: 我们要感谢

"We are particularly grateful to Trevor Rees, and to others who came forward to give evidence…"

be grateful to sb: 对某人感激

"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."

would like to express one's gratitude to sb: 要表达对某人的感激之情