In a heartbreaking revelation that has surfaced nearly three decades after her tragic death, Princess Diana's closest confidant has disclosed the late Princess of Wales' deepest regret about her infamous BBC Panorama interview. Just ten days before the fatal Paris car crash that ended her life, Diana expressed profound remorse for the 1995 television appearance that she believed caused emotional damage to her young sons.
The Final Confession
Rosa Monckton, one of Diana's most trusted friends, has come forward with startling details about their final conversations. According to Monckton, Diana was in a fragile and vulnerable state during their last meeting, openly admitting that the Panorama interview had been a terrible mistake. The Princess specifically worried about how the broadcast had affected Prince William and Prince Harry, then just 13 and 11 years old respectively.
Monckton described Diana as being manipulated into giving the interview, a fact that would later be confirmed by official investigations. The timing of this confession - mere days before Diana's untimely death on August 31, 1997 - adds poignant weight to these revelations, showing that the mother of two remained tormented by decisions that had exposed her family to public scrutiny.
The BBC Deception Unraveled
The circumstances surrounding how Martin Bashir secured the landmark interview have since been exposed as fraudulent. The Dyson Report conclusively revealed that BBC journalist Martin Bashir used forged bank documents to gain Diana's trust and convince her to participate in the explosive tell-all conversation.
Bashir's deception included creating false evidence suggesting that individuals close to the Royal Family were being paid to spy on Diana. This elaborate scheme preyed on the Princess's existing paranoia and vulnerability, effectively manipulating her into sitting for what would become one of the most controversial royal interviews in history.
The 1995 interview contained several bombshell revelations, including Diana's famous line about there being "three people" in her marriage to Prince Charles, referring to his relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles. While the interview captivated millions worldwide and reshaped public perception of the monarchy, it came at tremendous personal cost to the Royal Family and particularly to Diana's children.
Royal Sons Speak Out
Both Prince William and Prince Harry have since publicly condemned the methods used to obtain the interview, expressing their anger about how their mother was treated. The princes have described the deception as a betrayal of their mother and the British public, with William stating that the interview should never be aired again and had no legitimacy.
Prince William emphasized that the deceitful way the interview was acquired substantially contributed to his mother's fear, paranoia, and isolation in her final years. Meanwhile, Prince Harry has spoken about the lasting trauma caused by the media intrusion into their private lives, drawing direct connections between the unethical practices exposed in the Dyson Report and the circumstances that led to his mother's death.
The royal brothers' strong condemnation highlights the enduring pain caused by the interview decades later. Their statements reflect not just anger about historical events but ongoing concern about media ethics and the protection of vulnerable individuals in the public eye.
These new revelations from Rosa Monckton provide crucial insight into Diana's state of mind in her final days, revealing a mother primarily concerned with the wellbeing of her children rather than her public image or ongoing conflicts with the establishment. The timing of her regret, expressed so close to her tragic death, adds a layer of tragedy to what remains one of the most scrutinized periods in modern royal history.
