“It’s hard for William to realize that things might have been different,” Webb said. The interview haunted him through adolescence — he was just 13 at the time.
“What teenager wants to see his mother asked on TV, ‘Did you have sex with this boyfriend?’” Webb noted. Diana even suggested Charles might not be fit for kingship, leaving William to face schoolmates the next day under the weight of global scandal.
In 2020, new evidence of Bashir’s tactics prompted the BBC to launch an independent inquiry led by Lord Dyson. The 2021 report found Bashir breached BBC rules by using fabricated documents to gain access to Diana and criticized the corporation for failing to act with integrity.
William responded:
“The interview was a major contribution to making my parents’ relationship worse… It brings indescribable sadness to know that the BBC’s failures contributed significantly to her fear, paranoia and isolation.”
Prince Harry added that the issue extended beyond the BBC and that the “culture of exploitation and unethical practices ultimately took her life.”
BBC leadership apologized and acknowledged “unacceptable failures.”
William’s Determination to Close the Wound
Webb says William remains adamant the interview should not be broadcast again, calling it “illegitimate.”
“What’s particularly sad,” Webb said, “is that yes, some parts were valuable — but in reality, Diana gave that interview in a state of terror and fear.”
For William, uncovering the truth is not just an investigation — it’s an attempt to finally heal the wound left by one of the most painful chapters of his life.
