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Prince William, Prince Harry REACT to BBC's 'deceitful' interview of mum Diana; See FULL statements
On Thursday, late Princess Diana's sons Prince William and Prince Harry issued strongly worded statements criticising the BBC and the press culture for gaining unethical access to the 1995 interview.
Princess Diana's explosive 1995 interview has come under the spotlight once more. A new investigation from retired judge Lord Dyson revealed that interviewer Martin Bashir faked documents and acted in a “deceitful” way to obtain an interview with Princess Diana at the time. On Thursday, Diana's sons Prince William and Prince Harry issued strongly worded statements criticising the BBC and the press culture to gain unethical access to the interview.
Diana's brother Charles Spencer had filed fresh complaints stating that journalist Martin Bashir used false documents and dishonest tactics to persuade Diana to agree to the interview. The report also criticised the BBC for covering up Bashir's actions and not taking a stand. For the unversed, this is the same interview in which Diana had famously said that there were “three of us” in the marriage, referring to Charles‘ future wife Camilla Parker-Bowles.
Prince William and Prince Harry's statements slammed Bashir as well as highlighted how the interview further led to a strain on Diana's relationship with Prince Charles. Take a look at their full statements below:
STATEMENT FROM PRINCE WILLIAM ON THE DYSON INVESTIGATION
I would like to thank Lord Dyson and his team for the report. It is welcome that the BBC accepts Lord Dyson’s findings in full — which are extremely concerning — that BBC employees:
It is my view that the deceitful way the interview was obtained substantially influenced what my mother said. The interview was a major contribution to making my parents’ relationship worse and has since hurt countless others. It brings indescribable sadness to know that the BBC’s failures contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia and isolation that I remember from those final years with her.
But what saddens me most, is that if the BBC had properly investigated the complaints and concerns first raised in 1995, my mother would have known that she had been deceived. She was failed not just by a rogue reporter, but by leaders at the BBC who looked the other way rather than asking the tough questions.
It is my firm view that this Panorama programme holds no legitimacy and should never be aired again. It effectively established a false narrative which, for over a quarter of a century, has been commercialised by the BBC and others. This settled narrative now needs to be addressed by the BBC and anyone else who has written or intends to write about these events.
In an era of fake news, public service broadcasting and a free press have never been more important. These failings, identified by investigative journalists, not only let my mother down, and my family down; they let the public down too.
STATEMENT FROM PRINCE HARRY
Our mother was an incredible woman who dedicated her life to service. She was resilient, brave, and unquestionably honest. The ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life.
To those who have taken some form of accountability, thank you for owning it. That is the first step towards justice and truth. Yet what deeply concerns me is that practices like these—and even worse—are still widespread today. Then, and now, it’s bigger than one outlet, one network, or one publication.
Our mother lost her life because of this, and nothing has changed. By protecting her legacy, we protect everyone, and uphold the dignity with which she lived her life. Let’s remember who she was and what she stood for.
