THE Duchess of York faces the prospect of a public quizzing over her private life, despite winning the latest round of her legal battle to bloc a new book about her relationship with Mr John Bryan.
She must also find £500,000 as security for any damages that might be won by her former friend Dr Allan Starkie, and publisher Michael O'Mara Books Ltd if the 10 day court hearing, which starts on October 7th, goes against her.
Mr O'Mara also published Andrew Morton's best selling Di - Her True Story. After the duchess's injunction was renewed by a London judge yesterday he said he was "assuming the duchess will be called to give evidence in the case and we look forward to seeing her there".
He expected she would have to answer "a lot of questions about her relationship with various people over the past six years", including her relationship with Mr Bryan. He thought the case would be "extremely amusing for everybody".
But Mr Jonathan Coad, of the duchess's solicitors, Schilling and Lom, said he had "absolutely at this stage no idea" whether she would appear in court.
Mr O'Mara said he believed the main reason for her seeking an injunction was so that her own memoirs, due out next month, would have "a clear run up to the Christmas best sellers' lists".
He went on to accuse her of using "the English courts to keep, the truth from the British people