Princess Diana’s brother, Earl Charles Spencer, has once again accused the BBC of using deceitful methods that, he believes, contributed to the circumstances leading to her tragic death in 1997. Speaking to People magazine, Spencer said the corporation’s “appalling deception” in securing the famous 1995 interview with journalist Martin Bashir played a direct role in making Diana vulnerable.
Spencer said senior BBC officials knowingly allowed false tactics to be used to win Diana’s confidence. “I am sure this led directly to Diana being left unsafe in Paris on the night she died,” he said, emphasizing that the impact of the BBC’s actions continued to follow her long after the interview aired.
His remarks come years after an official investigation revealed that Bashir forged bank statements and made false allegations to convince Diana that people close to her including her private secretary Patrick Jephson were spying on her. Jephson explained that Diana’s growing fear was understandable. “She had real reasons to worry. It wasn’t paranoia,” he said.
Jephson added that the lies led Diana to reject official royal protection and rely instead on a private security team that was “not competent,” leaving her exposed to risk.
Investigators also found that Bashir falsely hinted that King Charles III was involved in an affair with a royal nanny and even presented forged documents claiming she had an abortion. All these claims were later proven completely untrue.
Following the inquiry, the BBC publicly apologized, saying it “accepted the findings in full” and deeply regretted its role in the scandal. Bashir, who resigned from the network in 2021, said producing forged documents was “a stupid thing to do” and expressed remorse.
Spencer’s renewed criticism highlights the long-lasting emotional and historical impact of the controversial interview an interview he believes continued to shape Diana’s fears and decisions until the night of her fatal crash in Paris.
