LAST LAUGH
Princess Diana asked for Panorama interview to be announced on Prince Charles’ birthday before telling Queen, doc claims
PRINCESS Diana asked for news of her Panorama interview to be announced on Prince Charles' birthday, a documentary has claimed.
The second-part of ITV's The Diana Interview: Revenge Of A Princess, alleges Diana may have deliberately suggested the bombshell date before telling the Queen.
5
5
The revelation comes ahead of the 25th anniversary of Princess Diana's Panorama interview with BBC journalist Martin Bashir.
The landmark 1995 moment saw Princess Di tell Bashir “there were three people in this marriage, so it was rather crowded” as she spoke of Prince Charles’ infidelity.
But before the interview was aired, Diana was apparently consulted over when the BBC would tell the world.
'TYPICALLY MISCHIEVOUS'
Editor Ian Corcoran explains: "Martin suggested that we asked Princess Diana.
"He slipped out of the room to phone her and a while later he came back in, he said she had suggested a date which just happened to be Prince Charles' birthday."
Meanwhile, Richard Kay, a friend of Princess Diana's, adds: "It may be that Bashir and co said, 'Well, we want to announce it on the 14th November and she would have said, 'Oh, that's my husband's birthday, why not?'"
An interviewer then asks him: ";What if she had stipulated that she wanted it announced on his birthday?"
Richard replies: "Well, I would have thought that was typically mischievous Diana."
SECRET SERVICE FEARS
The documentary also details how Diana reportedly thought she was being followed by the Secret Service after her split with Charles.
Diana’s biographer, Andrew Morton, said: “Diana certainly was very concerned about the Secret Services, about MI5, about MI6.
"There were bizarre things going on inside the households of the Prince and Princess of Wales. Her bodyguard, Ken Wharfe, who left her service... felt that he was being followed.
“Her confidante, Richard Kay, a Daily Mail journalist, he was burgled several times and he took to employing a private detective. My own office was broken into, so there's a catalogue of things.”
Princess Diana's former butler Paul Burrell confirmed she suspected she was being spied on.
Mr Burrell said: “The princess did suspect that she was being followed, that she was being watched. She was under surveillance, whether it was phone hacking or spying.
“There were occasions when we pulled up the floorboards and unscrewed the end of the telephones to see if there are any listening devices. The princess wasn't paranoid, but she was concerned.”
5
5
ITV's documentary comes after a week of accusation over how Martin Bashir secured the 1995 Panorama interview.
The 57-year-old journalist is accused by a close friend of Diana's at the time of forging a letter from her stating she was not coerced into doing the interview.
He is also accused by Di's brother, Earl Spencer, of using forged bank statements to help get exclusive access to the princess - something the BBC says had no bearing on the fact Diana spoke with Panorama.
Mr Morton said: “Diana knew about the documents, they would have been proof positive that there were machinations against her or against others in her family and elsewhere, and they would underscore the credibility of Martin Bashir, who was insinuating himself into her life.
“I’ve spoken to friends of Diana who said we knew all about these statements before the interview and they had possibly tipped the balance when she was considering whether to do an interview or not.”
Mr Bashir has stayed silent on the allegations, with BBC bosses saying he is too ill to talk after recovering from a quadruple heart by-pass op.
Most read in News
But the journalist - who is also recovering from Covid-19 - was apparently well enough to pop out of his home on Friday to collect an Indian takeaway.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
The BBC has pledged an investigation into the interview claims.
The Diana Interview: Revenge of a Princess is on ITV at 9pm on Tuesday.
5
Princess Diana thought she was being followed by Secret Service after Prince Charles split, new documentary reveals