Lord Justice Scott Baker said he had allowed more "latitude" than usual

This was the most effective way of dealing with "public suspicion", Lord Justice Scott Baker said.

The inquest into the deaths of Diana, Dodi Al Fayed and driver Henri Paul in 1997 has heard friends of the Princess discuss her private life in detail.

Mohammed Al Fayed, Dodi's father, has claimed Prince Philip and MI6 led a plot to kill his son and Diana.

'Huge distance'

Lord Justice Scott Baker acknowledged that the information put before the jury had been "very wide-ranging".

"But the one matter that I have had very much in mind throughout is that one of the purposes of the inquests, perhaps particularly pertinent to this one, is to confirm or allay public suspicion," he added.

"That is what has caused me to allow a great deal more latitude than would ordinarily be the case, but there is a limit."

He was replying to Sir Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, who said while being cross examined by Mohamed Al Fayed's barrister Michael Mansfield QC: "It seems to me we are a huge distance away from the subject of this inquest."

Sir Richard denied that the intelligence service murdered princess Diana.

The inquest has heard friends of Diana asked about her lovers and whether she was on the pill.

The total cost to UK taxpayers of investigating claims that Diana was murdered has been estimated at �6m.