What secret details and unsightly facts were revealed in the interview of Princess Diana to the BBC journalist

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

On November 20, 1995, a real "bomb" blew up the world information space. The BBC published a frank and lengthy interview with Princess Diana of Wales. 25 years later, her son and heir to the throne, Prince William, launched an entire campaign against this corporation in this regard. The interview was, without a doubt, landmark. It became the most important event in the career of the journalist who took it. But six months ago, some very unsightly facts surfaced. Martin Bashir deliberately and cruelly deceived Diana in order to get sensational material.

An epochal event

The interview was truly a landmark event. His screening gathered in front of the screens a grandiose audience of more than twenty million people in the UK alone. The interview became undoubtedly the central event in the career of the journalist who took him. Everything would be fine, but much of what was said by Diana and Martin Bashir was considered too ambiguous, to put it mildly. A few months ago, hitherto unknown details began to be revealed. Everything suggests that Bashir behaved dishonestly in order to create a sensation that did not exist.

The Air Force Company conducted its own investigation in this regard. It was chaired by Lord Dyson, a former member of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. The conclusions that were made revealed to the world the unsightly details of the planned deception. The most interesting thing is that earlier a similar test was carried out by Tony Hall. He subsequently became the Director General of the Air Force. Hall called Bashir then an "honest" and "respectable" journalist, not seeing anything reprehensible in his actions.

In turn, Lord Dyson called Hall's investigation superficial and incomplete, and the conclusions incompetent. Perhaps this happened because some of the details were known only now. Then Diana no longer lived with Charles. In an interview, the princess talked about treason, palace intrigues and health problems of her husband. The unsuitability of the prince for his high role was discussed.

Bashir didn't just ask Diana leading questions. He has done a tremendous job of instilling the right information. As a result, the princess said what the journalist needed so much. Martin even contacted Diana's brother, Charles Spencer. He told the press that he took notes on these conversations.

Air Force investigation

Wanting to rehabilitate themselves, the journalists of the Panorama program also decided to conduct an investigation. They talked to virtually all of the witnesses previously interviewed by Lord Dyson's commission. Detailed testimony was also obtained from Earl Spencer. The experts examined the internal documents of the Air Force. From all of the above, the journalists made the disappointing conclusion that Bashir lied, violating not only the rules of the Air Force, but also journalistic ethics in general.

It all started when Martin decided not only to cover the "War of Wales", but to convince the audience that there was some kind of grand conspiracy against Diana. For this, in telephone conversations, for a long time he convinced the princess herself and her brother of this. The journalist stated that he had access to certain high-ranking officials "at the very top" and they gave him exclusive information on this matter.

Bashir sent a letter to Count Spencer on Air Force letterhead. There he wrote that for three months he researched press materials and unearthed some incredibly important facts. They concerned the interference of the press in the life of the Spencer family. Bashir, wanting to get into the credibility of Spencer, spared no effort, no time, no guile. The meeting took place after Martin said that he had some "evidence." They referred to the fact that the former head of the Spencer's security (retired military Alan Voller) received money from the media and special services for providing information about what was happening in the family. Charles immediately agreed, but Bashir was in no hurry, the "proofs" were not ready.

Fake bank checks for Martin were made by his colleague, designer Matt Weasler. What he confessed. The designer said that Bashir assured him that he had seen these documents with his own eyes, but could not get them. Whisler claimed that he was unaware that this was all about the royal family. He agreed to help Bashir. Thanks to this forgery, the journalist convinced Diana and Charles Spencer that they were being followed. This Bashir did not think it was enough, he forged such documents on the personal secretaries of Diana and Charles. All this helped the journalist to make the princess believe in the conspiracy that her ex-husband started against her.

Diana was then demoralized and Bashir took advantage of this. All the theory so well presented by him answered her inner fears and apprehensions at that time.

Testimony of witnesses

Bashir says that everything that is reflected in the records of Earl Spencer belongs not to him, but to Diana. In his testimony, he paints a completely different picture from the testimony of the count.

Then, Bashir got what he wanted - Diana's long-awaited consent for an interview. Friends of the princess said that they noticed changes in her shortly before. She became nervous and suspicious. She didn't trust anyone. Her secretary, Jephson, said that Bashir simply removed him as an obstacle to his goal. The princess's lawyer met with her prior to this event. She told him about the conspiracy against her. When Lord Mishkon asked where she got this information, she replied that it was from a reliable source. Diana and Bashir mentioned the Government Communications Center as a source of information. But it is highly doubtful that a current intelligence officer could have revealed the secrets of his work to a journalist.

The most interesting thing is that the leadership of the Air Force could not fail to keep abreast of events. Nothing alarmed them. The same Whisler did not see any connection between Diana's interview and his fake checks. Later, when he realized this connection, he said he reported to the then editor Hewlett. Unfortunately, the latter died of cancer several years ago and will no longer be able to tell anyone. And there are many questions. In particular, why was it not reported to the top leadership of the Air Force? Isn't this a completely egregious case? Lord Dyson found this unforgivable.

What Bashir says

A month after the interview, Whisler told then-Panorama producer Moll that someone had broken into his apartment and stolen a computer disk. The very fake bank documents were kept there. After that, they went to Hewlett.

After them, Bashir himself was interviewed. He assured that he did not use these documents. Martin claimed that Diana herself told the journalist about their existence. Why, then, did they have to be forged? Moreover, soon the leadership of the Air Force received a letter from Diana, where she wrote that she was happy with everything and had no complaints about Bashir. On this then everyone calmed down.

It was beneficial for everyone to forget about this matter. They did not even pay attention to the fact that Bashir had forged the documents in August or early September, and his first conversation with Diana took place only three weeks later. It means that he could not hear about this from Princess Bashir, which means he lied.

When asked why Bashir needed fake bank statements, he said that he just needed to save the information. An unconvincing reason for wasting a hefty amount of money and wasted time. You could just write this information in a notebook.

It was decided to contact Earl Spencer. Bashir initially claimed that he did not show Diana's brother any fake checks either. Later it turned out that this was not true. The count saw these documents and it was this that prompted him to believe the journalist and introduce him to his sister. Bashir lied to both the Spencers and his leadership. Why was Charles Spencer silent then? To this question, he replied that he did not want to oppose his sister's version and tarnish her reputation.

Conclusion Lord Dyson made this: no interview could have happened, all the more so sensational, if not for the forgery of checks. They not only helped Bashir connect with the Spencer family, but also get the answers he needed. The Air Force leadership says that in 1996 Bashir was reprimanded in connection with this case. But for some reason there is no information about this in Martin's personal file. He quietly worked in the corporation for another two years, and then switched to the ITV channel.

Where is the truth?

The truth is, the seasoned managers who are responsible for the quality of BBC journalism seem to have believed a huge lie. In it, Bashir turned out to be very skillful. Real persecutions were declared against anonymous sources of information within the company. They were called simply "envious" and "troublemakers." The Air Force ceased cooperation with Whisler, and his firm went bankrupt. He even had to leave London.

Now, following Lord Dyson's investigation, the Air Force apologizes. Only now the stain on their reputation will remain forever. The way in which the famous interview was obtained does not paint neither Martin Bashir, nor the then management of the corporation. Journalistic ethics? Did not hear! Are you ready for anything for the sensation?

Martin himself apologized and, of course, assures that imitation of bank documents did not in any way affect Diana's decision to give him an interview. This may very well be true. The princess could be interviewed. But would it be such a bomb, that is the question?

The irony is that in 2016 Bashir was hired again by the BBC as a correspondent for … religion. It was only shortly before the publication of Lord Dyson's report that he resigned.

The last word

Former editor of Panorama, the late Hewlett starred in a BBC documentary celebrating a decade of landmark interviews. When he was asked how Bashir met the princess, he began to get confused and mumble something incomprehensible. This episode was cut from the film, and the BBC flatly refused to provide it. The truth was learned only from the transcript.

The truth is that no matter how Bashir got this interview, it was, of course, real. Many say that the princess has long wanted to speak out on the "War of Wales". Yes, Bashir did not act entirely honestly. But everything that was said met Diana's inner need to say at last what worried her the most, out loud.

Phil Craig, who produced a documentary about Diana in 2004, was dating Hewlett at the time. They drank and talked. We discussed the film and the interview. According to Craig, Hewlett then said that this whole story will still bring a lot of problems for everyone. And so it happened. The sensational interview was a time bomb that eroded public confidence in the BBC and journalism in general. The corporation was unable to neutralize it then, leaving it ticking. Now there was an explosion.

If you are interested in the history of the royal family, read our article on how Queen Victoria of England nearly became Queen of Nigeria due to translation difficulties.