British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) issued an unconditional apology over the controversial 1995 interview with Princess Diana by journalist Martin Bashir. In the interview, she spoke about her relationship with Prince Charles at length. However, an inquiry found out that the journalist used 'deceitful' methods to secure the interview. Soon after the apology was issued, sons of late Princess Diana- Prince William and Prince Harry slammed BBC in statements saying their failures contributed to the fear their mother felt in her final years and was part of a “culture of exploitation and unethical practices that ultimately took her life."
Prince William said that he was saddened because BBC had not properly investigated complaints earlier and his mother Princess of Wales had never known she had been deceived. In a video statement, Prince William said BBC employees "lied and used fake documents to obtain the interview with my mother; made lurid and false claims about the royal family which played on her fears and fuelled paranoia; displayed woeful incompetence when investigating complaints and concerns about the programme; were evasive in their reporting to the media and covered up what they knew from their internal investigation."
A statement on today’s report of The Dyson Investigation pic.twitter.com/uS62CNwiI8
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 20, 2021
He further added, "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."
Prince William said, "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."
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He further said that the programme should never air again. "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," Prince William shared.
Prince Harry, in a statement, said, "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."
He added, "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."
The Dyson report was commissioned by the BBC and was written by retired high court judge Lord Dyson. In the report, it was found that journalist Bashir had shown fake bank statements to Diana's brother Charles Spencer to "deceived and induced him to arrange a meeting with Princess Diana."
Bashir stepped down from his role as the BBC's religion editor last week stating health reasons. In a statement, Bashir said, "It was a stupid thing to do and was an action I deeply regret. But I absolutely stand by the evidence I gave a quarter of a century ago, and again more recently. I also reiterate that the bank statements had no bearing whatsoever on the personal choice by Princess Diana to take part in the interview." Bashir said he is proud of the interview.
(Source: CNN/The Guardian/Twitter)
