In video, Prince William lets his anger explode against the BBC: "They fed my mother's paranoia"
After the revelations of the internal investigation, Prince William split a rare video address, lambasting "the lamentable incompetence" of the former leaders of the British public channel. These covered up a journalist's "deceptive methods" to get Lady Diana's interview in 1995.
Rarely has Prince William's anger been so noticeable. In a video speech, unveiled Thursday, May 20 on the Cambridge Twitter account, the heir to the throne of England blasted "the lamentable incompetence" of the former leaders of the BBC. The object of this indignation is none other than the content of an investigation report commissioned by the British channel.
According to the investigation carried out during six months by judge John Dyson, the journalist Martin Bashir would have used "deceptive methods" to obtain the interview of Lady Diana, in 1995. Among them, the use of false statements of accounts, supposed prove that some relatives of the princess were paid to divulge information to the secret service. Documents the reporter had shown Lady Diana's brother Charles Spencer so he could meet Prince Charles' ex-wife.
"scabrous and false" statements
At the end of the day, a shocking interview watched by 23 million spectators on November 20, 1995. And words that will remain etched in the memories of the British. "There were three of us in this marriage," declared the Princess of Hearts at the time, about the Prince of Wales' affair with Camilla Parker Bowles. Twenty-five years later, Prince William was indignant at the fraudulent means employed by Martin Bashir to achieve his ends.
"The findings of Lord Dyson's investigation are extremely disturbing," he said on camera. BBC employees lied and used false documents to get an interview with my mother. They made scabrous and false claims about the royal family, which surfed on their fears and fueled their paranoia. They demonstrated their lamentable incompetence by investigating (a first investigation was carried out in 1996, Editor's note) on the complaints and concerns expressed by spectators. They were evasive in their statements to the media and covered up what they had learned. ”
The BBC's failings helped fuel my mother's fear, loneliness and paranoia
Before adding: "From my perspective, the deceptive manner in which the interview was obtained influenced what my mother said." Prince William also considered that this interview had only "poisoned" the relationship between his parents. “It is an indescribable sadness that the failings of the BBC have contributed significantly to fueling my mother's fear, loneliness and paranoia during the last years of her life,” he said. But what saddens me most is that if the BBC had properly investigated after the complaints made in 1995, my mother would have known that she had been lied to. It was not only abandoned by a rebel reporter, but also by leaders who preferred to look away without asking the angry questions. ”
The Duke of Cambridge thus estimated that the shock interview should never again be broadcast on television. And the future king concluded: “These shortcomings, identified by investigative journalists, did not only affect my mother and my family; they also affected the general public. ”
"Our mother lost her life because of this"
A statement on today’s report of The Dyson Investigation pic.twitter.com/uS62CNwiI8
— The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge (@KensingtonRoyal) May 20, 2021
Prince Harry, for his part, issued a vitriolic statement on the results of the investigation. He denounces the "culture of exploitation and immoral practices" which reigns, according to him, within the media. “My mother was an incredible woman who dedicated her life to public service,” he wrote. She was resilient, courageous, and unquestionably honest. ” Before adding: "To those who took their responsibilities (Martin Bashir apologized to the royal family, Editor's note), thank you for doing so. This is the first step towards justice and truth. ”
BREAKING: Prince Harry has issued a statement in response to the investigation into Martin Bashir's 1995 BBC interview with Princess Diana:
— Ellie Hall (@ellievhall) May 20, 2021
"The ripple effect of a culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life." pic.twitter.com/ZiWT7Yw0Ui
The Duke of Sussex, however, lamented that such practices are "still so widespread" in the tabloids. “It goes beyond a single media, a single channel, a single publication,” he said. Our mother lost her life because of it, and nothing has changed. By protecting her heritage, we are protecting everyone, and upholding the dignity in which she lived. Let's remember who she was and what she fought for. ”
Princes Harry and William will pay tribute to the princess again in July, during the dedication ceremony for the statue of Lady Diana in Kensington Palace gardens.
