EVEN now, nearly a decade after the death of Princess Diana, her name still stirs extreme emotions.

And that is why tying up the loose ends and putting an end to all the speculation is long overdue.

It is wrong that so many years have passed without an inquest into the tragedy. That will finally be heard next year and, in the interests of transparency and the need for closure, it should be held before a jury and in public.

In the meantime, Lord Stevens' official UK police inquiry, which was published yesterday, should be seen as a step towards erasing the countless conspiracy theories which have grown out of one of the biggest news stories of the past century.

At the end of a three-year investigation, Lord Stevens has found no evidence that the princess and Dodi Al Fayed were murdered. Their chauffeur Henri Paul was drunk and speeding and a terrible accident was the result. It is a conclusion we accept, although it is no surprise that Mohamed Al Fayed does not.

What is important now is that this long, sad saga is brought to a conclusion as soon as possible so that Diana can rest in peace and her two sons are allowed to carry on with their lives without so much rumour and recrimination hanging over them.

They are young men who lost their mother in a wretched way and who have had to endure the knowledge that paparazzi photographers behaved in an inhuman way towards her.

For their sake, we must move swiftly on.