Royal Family approves Diana stamps

Postage stamps designed to commemorate the life of Diana, Princess of Wales, will go on sale from February after the long-awaited agreement of her family.

The special issue of five stamps was given approval by the Queen soon after Diana's death, but the release was delayed. It was understood that members of the Spencer family feared that Princes William and Harry would be upset at seeing their mother's face so soon after the accident which killed her in August.

Proceeds from the sale of the stamps are expected to reach several million pounds, which will go to the memorial fund set up in Diana's name. They feature photographs of the princess by Snowdon, Tim Graham, John Stillwell and Terence Donovan in both formal and informal poses. Each stamp will have a purple border as a mark of respect and will be subtitled simply with the dates 1961-1997.

Meanwhile, it was reported last night that a pounds 10m Garden of Remembrance would be created in the grounds of Kensington Palace, where thousands of flowers were laid following the princess's death.

The hospital where Diana died yesterday denounced as a forgery a letter which appeared to show that she was two months pregnant at the time of her death. Thierry Meresse, a spokesman for the Pitie-Salpetriere Hospital, in Paris, said inquiries had shown "with certainty" that the letter - printed on official headed notepaper - was a fake.