London, Dec 5: Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed’s driver Henri Paul was allowed to drink “unchallenged” on the night of the fatal crash, because of his “specific status,” the inquest into their deaths has heard.

Thierry Rocher, the night manager at the Ritz in Paris at the time of the tragedy, confirmed that Paul had been boozing that evening.

Rocher described how Paul, Ritz’s acting head of security, who had been in the hotel bar, told him that he was going off to finish his Ricard spirit.

He added that owing to Paul's status, he was in no position to instruct him about drinking on duty.

Rocher told the inquest that any other hotel employee would have been dismissed in such circumstances.

Both, the French authorities and the Metropolitan Police have ruled that the Mercedes crashed because Paul had been drinking and driving too fast.

"Nobody was allowed to drink alcohol while on duty, but Henri Paul had a specific status,” the Scotsman quoted Rocher, as saying.

Princess Diana, Dodi Fayed and Henri Paul died in the crash, in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel, in the early hours of August 31, 1997. (ANI)