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At 30, Diana’s BBC Interview Still Defines Royal–Media Relations

The anniversary refocuses attention on BBC ethics following the 2021 finding that Martin Bashir used forged documents.

Overview

  • About 200 million viewers watched the 1995 broadcast in which Diana discussed infidelity, personal struggles and delivered the line about there being “three” in her marriage.
  • The interview hastened the collapse of Diana and Charles’s relationship and preceded the formal move toward divorce.
  • The 2021 Dyson inquiry confirmed that reporter Martin Bashir used faked bank statements to secure the interview, prompting a BBC apology and public criticism from Princes William and Harry.
  • This milestone arrives as the BBC confronts fresh scrutiny for a misleadingly edited Trump speech in a documentary, leadership resignations, and the president’s planned multibillion-dollar lawsuit.
  • Experts say the episode reshaped palace media strategy, with tighter control over interviews, contrasting approaches by William and Harry, and ongoing debate over the interview’s broader consequences.