Diana, Princess of Wales, told Mohamed Al Fayed she was pregnant, the Harrods owner said at the inquest into her death and that of his son, Dodi.
The claim came as he began his evidence at the Royal Courts of Justice.

Mr Al Fayed has long maintained the princess and his son were murdered in a conspiracy involving the security services and the Duke of Edinburgh.

He told the jury: "Diana told me on the telephone that she was pregnant. I am the only person they told."

He added that French intelligence had helped British intelligence services to execute the murder.

The couple died, along with driver Henri Paul, when their car crashed in Paris in 1997.