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Prince William has said he welcomes new research into the BBC’s 1995 Panorama interview with his mother, Princess Diana.
the independent investigation It will be led by Lord Dyson, a former master of the Rolls and Chief of Civil Justice, and will begin immediately.
The investigation will seek to discover how the corporation and journalist Martin Bashir got the television scoop.
In a statement, Kensington Palace said the Duke of Cambridge has tentatively welcomed the investigation, saying: “The independent investigation is a step in the right direction.
Prince William has welcomed an investigation into the BBC Panorama interview
“It should help establish the truth behind the actions that led to the Panorama interview and the subsequent decisions made by the BBC at the time.”
Interview revelations included Diana describing Camilla Parker Bowles as the “third person” in her marriage, her admission of infidelity to Army Captain James Hewitt, and her doubts about Prince Charles’ suitability to be king.
Diana’s appearance on television was watched by 23 million people at the time and sent shockwaves through the monarchy.
The steps that the interviewer, Bashir, took to gain access to the Princess of Wales will be considered as part of the investigation.
There has been controversy over falsified bank statements that were allegedly used to persuade her to participate in the interview, as shortly after the show first aired.
The revelations included ‘three people’ in the royal marriage
It is alleged that the documents were used to falsely show that payments were made to members of the royal staff in exchange for information about the princess.
Diana’s younger brother, Earl Spencer, has said they showed him the documents and went on to connect his sister to Bashir, something the earl says he would not have done if he hadn’t been misled.
Earl Spencer has been critical of the BBC
In addition to demanding an independent investigation, he has also requested a posthumous apology from his sister and a donation to charities established in her memory.
Just last week a note written by Diana Claiming that the fake bank statements did not influence her decision to speak on camera, she was found by the BBC, which had initially said that the handwritten letter was no longer in its possession.
The independent investigation will also look at an internal BBC investigation in 1996 led by then-news chief Tony Hall.
That investigation is understood to have found that Bashir, who according to the BBC is very bad with COVID-19, he had “done wrong”, but it is not known what sanction, if any, what sanction.
Speaking about the new investigation, BBC Director General Tim Davie said the corporation is “determined to get to the truth” and called Lord Dyson “an eminent and highly respected figure who will lead a thorough process.”
Lord Dyson has said that he will ensure that the “important investigation” is “thorough and fair.”
Diana and Charles divorced in 1996, a year after the interview, and the princess died in a car accident in Paris the following year.
The BBC will publish the investigation report at its conclusion.
Analysis: William clearly felt that he had to make his views on the investigation known.
By Rhiannon Mills, Royal Correspondent
This is a significant statement from the Duke of Cambridge. So far, Kensington Palace has had no comment to make when asked for its views on the circumstances surrounding the Panorama documentary and the mounting pressure on the BBC.
But this “welcome attempt” by Prince William at an independent investigation, and his description of it as a “step in the right direction,” speaks volumes.
It is a public acknowledgment that you will be watching closely to see how the process unfolds and what findings the research ultimately yields.
Like Princess Diana’s brother Earl Spencer and many others, he wants to know if his mother was somehow tricked into doing the most explosive royal interview ever seen and if there was a cover-up on the BBC.
Yes, in the past, Diana’s children have talked about how the press harassed their mother, yet they have often been cautious about participating in stories about the princess.
But now Prince William has clearly felt that he has to make his views known on this investigation and add his important voice to the growing calls for truth.
