PRINCESS Diana has fallen in love with a 36 year old Muslim heart surgeon and wants him to become her second husband, a British newspaper claimed yesterday.
The Sunday Mirror linked the divorced princess's name to Dr Hasnat Khan, an unmarried British based cardiac specialist whose family lives in Pakistan.
And it quoted a "friend" of Princess Diana (36) as saying she hoped he would father a half sister to her two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.
"The princess is desperately in love," the tabloid quoted an unnamed "friend" of Princess Diana as saying.
"On the one hand, she wants the world to know. But on the other hand, she is understandably concerned that her enthusiasm may send him running."
The newspaper said Princess Diana met Dr Khan just over a year ago - well before her divorce from Prince Charles was finalised.
It said he was one of a team of surgeons who carried out a triple heart bypass operation at London's Royal Brompton Hospital on Mr Joseph Toffolo (70), the husband of her acupuncturist.
Princess Diana paid a two day visit to Lahore, Pakistan, in February to visit a cancer hospital sponsored by the country's former international cricket captain, Imran Khan, no relation to Dr Hasnat Khan.
The paper said it was now "widely believed" she took the chance to visit Dr Khan's family, who had approved a possible marriage even though Princess Diana would not convert to Islam.
Princess Diana is currently visiting Sydney, Australia, to lend her support to an institute involved in the fight against heart disease.
"She's made it clear that she wants to add to her family," the friend said.