Royal Biographer Details Prince William's Alleged Furious Reaction to Diana’s Panorama Interview
In 2021, William criticized the BBC following a report revealing that a 26-year-old interview with his mother was obtained deceitfully.
Princess Diana's 1995 BBC Panorama interview offered an unfiltered view of her crumbling marriage with then-Prince Charles and his potential role as the future monarch. She was famously quoted as saying, "There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded," a subtle hint towards Charles's infidelity. Beyond their personal breakdown, Diana openly questioned her husband's suitability for the throne, questioning whether traditional kingship would adapt to modern demands or ever bring him peace. These explosive remarks not only tainted the image of the monarchy but also affected her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. A royal biographer now claims that William was particularly upset following the broadcast.
Royal biographer Ingrid Stewart's new book titled Catherine & Diana: The Inside Story of How the Princesses of Wales Shaped the Modern Monarchy has been released today. The author, in an exclusive promotional interview on the Daily Mail's Palace Confidential, stated that William was allegedly furious with his mother for "revealing quite so much." "He was so upset. Instead, he just pushed her, and they had, you know, a big disagreement. Obviously, they made it up because that's what the kind of characters they were," she recalled, adding, "But he was very, very angry about that."
In 2021, William strongly criticized the BBC following an inquiry revealing that the 26-year-old interview with his mother was obtained through deceitful means. He condemned the "lurid and false claims" made by journalist Martin Bashir to secure the 1995 interview, in which Diana discussed the deterioration of her marriage, the Times reported. William stated that the infamous interview had "a major contribution to making his parents’ relationship worse."
The Duke of Sussex, who had stepped back from senior royal duties by that time, released a separate statement attributing the culture of exploitation surrounding the BBC interview as ultimately leading to the reason "his mother lost her life." Concerns over the broadcast date back to April 1996, when media reports alleged that BBC journalist Martin Bashir used falsified documents to secure access to Diana. An internal investigation by the BBC at the time concluded that the interview had been obtained fairly; however, the controversy resurfaced around its 25th anniversary. Meanwhile, Charles Spencer expressed deep regret in his latest memoir over being unable to prevent his late sister from agreeing to the interview.
The Earl labeled Bashir an "appalling, self-serving fraud," asserting a connection between the ex-British journalist's actions and his sister's fatal car crash two years later. He expressed regret that his warnings to Diana about Bashir were ineffective.
