What Harry And William Have To Say About The Princess Diana Interview Investigation
Award-winning journalist Martin Bashir has been found to have displayed "deceitful behavior" to obtain the 1995 interview that severed Princess Diana's remaining ties with the British royals, per the findings of former High Court Judge Lord Dyson, Fox News reported. The infamous tell-all interview was a big get, with Diana revealing to Bashir such allegations as there being "three people" in her marriage with Prince Charles, a reference to Camilla Parker-Bowles, per ABC News. Patrick Jephson — Diana's former private secretary — said, in a statement reminiscent of Meghan Markle's claims about the royals, that Diana lost "the royal support structure that had guided and safeguarded her for so many years" after the interview. This "inevitably made her vulnerable to people who didn't have her best interests at heart," Jephson revealed. (Charles and Diana divorced one year later.)
Bashir had stepped down as BBC's editor of religion amid the investigation, which was commissioned by BBC's own current director-general Tim Davie. Per Fox News, Bashir presented two made-up bank statements to Diana's brother, Earl Charles Spencer, to gain his trust and goad him into introducing him to Diana. He and Diana sat down for the interview two months later. "It is clear that the proceeds for securing the interview fell far short of what audiences have a right to expect," Davie said about Lord Dyson's findings in an official apology.
Read on for what Prince Harry and William have now said about the findings on their late mother's controversial tell-all.
Harry and William took different approaches in their responses
Both Prince William and Prince Harry have responded in official statements following May findings on ex-BBC journalist Martin Bashir's conduct in procuring his 1995 tell-all interview with Princess Diana. Diana's brother, Earl Charles Spencer, told People in 2020 that mock bank statements shown to him by Bashir "led to the meeting where I introduced Diana to Bashir... [which] led to the interview."
William called Bashir's interview "a major contribution to making my parents' relationship worse and has since hurt countless others," per ABC News, and said that his mother felt great "fear, paranoia and isolation" after the widely watched sit-down. Harry, meanwhile, focused his own response on his mother's legacy and further prevention against "a culture of exploitation." The Duke of Sussex said in an official statement, "Our mother was an incredible woman who dedicated her life to service... The ripple effect of ... unethical practices ultimately took her life."
Harry thanked those, like BBC's director-general Tim Davie, who "have taken some form of accountability," differing from William who also pointed fingers at "leaders at the BBC who looked the other way rather than asking the tough questions." Harry voiced concern that this was endemic to a larger societal issue. "Our mother lost her life because of this, and nothing has changed," the younger prince said. "By protecting her legacy, we protect everyone." Despite their differences, both sons were united by their eloquent responses — and their unwavering defense of their mother.