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Princess Diana and Journalist Bashir: Memorable Interview
Photo:
BBC / dpa
Following the revelations about his famous interview with Princess Diana, former BBC journalist Martin Bashir has expressed sympathy for Diana's sons Prince William and Harry.
He was "deeply sorry for the two of them," Bashir told the Sunday Times.
At the same time, he defended himself: he had "never wanted to hurt Diana in any way" and he didn't think he had done that either.
"My family and I loved her," said Bashir.
After the interview, they were friends.
Diana even visited his wife and his newborn third child in the hospital and organized a birthday party for his eldest child in Kensington Palace.
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Martin Bashir: He "never wanted to hurt Diana in any way"
Photo: Fred Prouser / REUTERS
The journalist emphasized that the interview held in 1995 had been conducted under conditions set by Diana from the time it was broadcast to the content.
Bashir rejected allegations by Prince William and Harry that the interview made him jointly responsible for Diana's later death.
This was "unreasonable and unfair," he told the newspaper.
Sneaking an interview with Diana
An independent investigation published on Thursday found that Bashir had improperly stolen the interview.
At the time, the journalist showed Diana's brother Charles Spencer forged bank statements that apparently showed that court employees were paid to spy on Lady Di.
Spencer then introduced his sister to Bashir.
Both before and after the interview was published, numerous journalists were astonished at how a then still relatively unknown reporter got the princess in front of the camera.
After the investigation report was published, Prince William said that the interview had contributed significantly to the end of the marriage between his parents and to the "fear, paranoia and isolation" in which his mother had spent the last years of her life.
Prince Harry said the consequences of a culture of instrumentalization and unethical practices ultimately cost his mother her life.
In the memorable television interview in November 1995 Diana blamed her husband Charles' affair with his current wife Camilla for the failure of their marriage: "There were three of us in this marriage," the princess explained to a shocked television audience.
She also confessed to having been unfaithful herself.
The broadcast was then followed by a record 22.8 million viewers.
Diana and Charles were separated by then, but not yet divorced.
Shortly afterwards, heir to the throne Charles filed for divorce, and in 1996 the marriage was dissolved.
Princess Diana, who with this interview finally became the favorite topic in British tabloids, died less than two years later in a car accident in Paris - she was on the run from intrusive paparazzi.
slü / AFP