Mohamed al Fayed, owner of Harrods, will take his case for a public inquiry into the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales, and his son Dodi before a Scottish court today.

The millionaire is expected to join his legal team at the Court of Session in Edinburgh, where they will challenge the refusal of the country's law officers to hold an inquiry in Scotland.

Mr al Fayed has claimed that Dodi and Diana were murdered and the full facts of the fatal car crash in Paris have never been revealed.

It is the first time the events surrounding Diana's death six years ago have been aired in a British court.

Mr al Fayed is seeking a judicial review of a decision earlier this year of the lord advocate to refuse an inquiry in Scotland.

Solicitors acting for Mr al Fayed, who owns a Highland estate, had applied for a public inquiry under the European Convention on Human Rights.

However, the Crown Office, wrote back in April saying the lord advocate considered there to be no basis for the move.

However in June, the Court of Session granted Mr al Fayed permission to challenge the decision.

In October a judge turned down a move by Scottish law officers for a lengthy postponement in the case.

Mr al Fayed's legal challenge before Lord Drummond-Young is set down for four days.

He has been fighting for a fresh inquiry into the Paris car crash in August 1997 in which Dodi and Diana were killed.

He believes a French investigation was inadequate and is hoping to win the right for a new hearing in Britain.