London, Jan 15, IRNA ,A former senior judge Monday ruled out that the delayed inquest into the 1997 death of Diana, Princess of Wales will be heard by a jury.

Lady Elizabeth Butler-Sloss, who has been appointed as coroner for the inquest, said she had decided to hear the the case alone after scrutinizing legal arguments delivered at the High Court last week.

Butler-Sloss has been considering whether to appoint a jury made up from the public at large after previously rejecting holding the case with a jury of members from the Queen's household, as is usual for inquests for members of the royal family.

Lawyers for Mohamed Al Fayed, whose son Dodi also died in the 1997 Paris crash, has been arguing in favor of a public jury after claiming that their deaths were the result of a conspiracy by the British establishment.

Last month, a three-year police inquiry into the death dismissed allegations that the divorced wife of Price Charles, heir to the British throne, was murdered.

The inquiry, led by former Metropolitan Police Commissioner Lord Stevens, also concluded that claims were not founded that Diana was pregnant and planned to marry the Egyptian businessman's son.

"There was no conspiracy to murder any of the occupants of that car," Stevens said in reference to their deaths in a car crash. "This was a tragic accident," he insisted.

The inquest is not due to take place until May and it is believed that at least 40 witnesses will give evidence at the full inquest.

A two-year investigation in France has previously blamed the chauffeur, Henri Paul, who was also killed in the crash, for losing control of the car because he had been drinking alcohol, taking prescription drugs and was driving too fast.