THE owner of the car Princess Diana died in wants authorities in France to hand it over – insisting it is legally his.

Jean-Francois Musa, 63, ran Etoile Limousines at the time of Diana’s tragic death in 1997.

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Princess Diana pictured at the Royal Albert Hall back in 1997Credit: AP:Associated Press

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A French policeman attends the wreckage of Princess Diana’s car in the Alma tunnel of ParisCredit: AFP
Diana, her boyfriend Dodi Fayed and driver Henri Paul died when the company’s Mercedes S-280 smashed into a Paris tunnel pillar.

Years ago, Scotland Yard announced it would destroy the wrecked car – but its fate became a mystery after French authorities demanded it back.

Mr Musa, who owns the vehicle, has not been told where it is now.

Experts, however, believe the wreck could be worth up to £10million, The Mirror reports.

Speaking from his holiday home in Normandy ahead of the 25th anniversary of Diana’s death, Mr Musa told the publication: “I have no idea where the car is.

“All I know is it is legally mine and obviously I want it back.

“It should have been returned by now but that hasn’t proved possible.”

Etoile Limousines once had a contract with the Paris Ritz – the hotel Mr Fayed owns and which Diana had left in the car on the night she died.

Mr Musa said he wants the car displayed in a US museum to honour Diana.

But the Royal Family has always indicated they would prefer it to be disposed of discreetly.

In 2017, it was being kept in a shipping container in a police car pound near Creteil, on the outskirts of Paris.

A worker recently told the Mirror: “It was kept here but it was moved several years ago.

“I don’t know where it is. You will have to ask the Maire de Paris.”

Met Police detectives examined the wreckage as part of Operation Paget – the £12.5million inquiry that ruled Diana and Dodi were unlawfully killed by driver Herni Paul and chasing paparazzi.

Princes William and Harry and Dodi’s billionaire father Mohamed Al-Fayed were assured by former Met Police Commissioner Lord Stevens it would be melted down after the British inquest, which ruled out any conspiracy theories that the tragedy was an assassination, concluded in April 2008.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said at the time: “The remains of the car have been stored as evidence in case they were needed by the inquest, but as the conclusion of the inquest marks the end of legal proceedings surrounding the Princess’s death, the wreckage will be destroyed, once the relevant permission has been obtained from its owners.”

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Henri Paul, the driver of the car that carried Princess Diana, her boyfriend Dodi and himself to their deathsCredit: AP:Associated Press

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Princess Diana and Dodi Al Fayed pictured in the back of the car before the accidentCredit: Rex Features

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Prince William and Prince Harry bow their heads as their mother’s coffin is taken out of Westminster Abbey