Prince Harry said Princess Diana “lost her life” as a result of her controversial 1995 Panorama interview with BBC’s Martin Bashir.Harry released a condemning statement after a 2021 inquiry determined Bashir used “deceitful methods” to secure his interview with the people’s princess.In the infamous broadcast, Diana says “there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded,” in reference to Charles’s affair with then-Camilla Parker Bowles.
In 1995, Princess Diana gave what just might be the most infamous royal interview of all time. When the world looks back on her life now, her Panorama chat with BBC’s Martin Bashir is one of the first clips that comes up, nestled between her 1981 wedding to then-Prince Charles and her daring 1994 revenge dress. The broadcast further unveiled Diana’s unhappiness as a royal, and according to Prince Harry, ultimately led to her tragic death.
Princess Diana, Prince Harry, and Prince William in September 1995.
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A 2021 inquiry determined Bashir used “deceitful methods” to secure his interview with the people’s princess. Specifically, it stated that Bashir breached BBC editorial guidelines by creating two false bank statements to improperly manipulate Diana into giving the interview. The same day the inquiry was released, Harry released a statement speaking out against BBC and Bashir.
“[My and Prince William’s] 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,” the Duke of Sussex wrote. “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.”
Princess Diana on November 24, 1995.
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He continued, adding, “Our mother lost her life because of this, and nothing has changed. By protecting her legacy, we protect everyone, and uphold the dignity with which she lived her life. Let’s remember who she was and what she stood for.”
Harry strongly condemned Bashir, the network, and their ethics in the statement, writing inclusions such as, “the deceitful way the interview was obtained substantially influenced what my mother 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.”
Princess Diana and Prince Harry on August 19, 1995.
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The most memorable moment in the interview comes when Diana says “there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded,” in reference to Charles’s ongoing affair with then-Camilla Parker Bowles. Following the interview, Queen Elizabeth ordered that Diana and Charles should divorce. They had separated in 1992 but made their split official by divorcing in 1996. Diana died at the age of 36 during a horrible car crash in Paris in August 1997.