The retired judge overseeing the long-delayed inquest into the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales, and her friend Dodi Fayed stepped down Tuesday.
Judge Butler-Sloss said she lacked the experience required to deal with an inquest with a jury.
Lord Justice Scott Baker will take over as coroner for the inquests, which are expected to take place in October.
Mr. Al-Fayed called Butler-Sloss decision a shameful and unnecessary interruption.
He said in a statement:
I cannot imagine why this lack of experience was not made public months ago and acted on then before time and effort was wasted.
But Judge Butler-Sloss said no time will be lost in the transition.
Diana married Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, in 1981 and was a hugely popular member of the royal family. The couple separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996.
Diana, 36, and Fayed, 42, were killed along with their chauffeur Henri Paul when their car crashed in the Pont d’Alma tunnel on 31 Aug 1997. The only survivor, bodyguard Trevor Rees was badly hurt. He is expected to give evidence at the inquest.
Under British law, inquests are held when someone dies unexpectedly, violently or of unknown causes.
