Lady Di interview in 1995: BBC journalist apologizes

Journalist Martin Bashir, indicted for deception after an explosive interview with Lady Diana in 1995, apologized to Princes William and Harry on Sunday.

An independent report had denounced Thursday the "misleading" methods used by the journalist to obtain the interview.

Journalist Martin Bashir, indicted for deception after an explosive interview with Lady Diana in 1995, apologized to Princes William and Harry on Sunday, but disputed that he had helped fuel the princess' "paranoia".

More than 25 years after an explosive interview with Lady Di for the British monarchy, an independent report on Thursday denounced the "deceptive" methods used by this journalist to obtain it, leading the

BBC

to issue an apology.

According to William, the interview helped to further deteriorate the relationship between Charles and Diana

Diana's brother Charles Spencer had claimed Martin Bashir had shown her account statements - which turned out to be false - proving that the security services were paying two people in court to spy on her sister.

This is what prompted him, according to him, to introduce the journalist to Lady Di.

Mr Bashir, interviewed by The

Sunday Times

, said he was "deeply sorry" for the princess' sons Harry and William.

"I never meant to harm Diana in any way, and I don't believe we did," he told the newspaper.

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According to William, the interview had helped to further deteriorate the relationship between her parents and "fueled the fears, paranoia and loneliness of the last years" of Diana's life.

Harry for his part had gone so far as to draw a link between his mother's death and "the ripple effect of this culture of exploitation and unethical practices".

Diana died in a car accident in Paris in 1997, at the age of 36.

An interview watched by 23 million viewers in the UK

"I don't believe I can be held responsible for many of the things that were going on in his life," Bashir said.

"To suggest that I am individually responsible is unreasonable and unfair."

The 1995 interview was watched by nearly 23 million viewers in the UK alone.

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In his report, former Supreme Court Justice John Dyson chided the

BBC

for its handling of the case.

Tony Hall, who was managing the

BBC's

editorial staff

at the time of the interview, resigned as chairman of the London National Gallery on Saturday.

His handling of the affair was criticized in the report, which noted in particular that during the internal investigation carried out in 1996, the

BBC

had not asked Charles Spencer for his version of the facts.

BBC report sparks crisis

The report has caused a crisis within the public broadcasting group which has dragged the affair like a ball for years. "The reputation of the

BBC

- one of our great institutions - has been compromised," Home Secretary Priti Patel

told SkyNews

on

Sunday. "It is time for the

BBC

to think absolutely about the conclusions of this report and to rebuild that trust," she added. According to SkyNews, Charles Spencer has asked the London Police Chief to re-investigate the terms of the interview.

In the

Sunday Times

, Mr. Bashir assured that this interview was conducted on the terms set by Diana, and that the two remained very good friends afterwards.

"My family and I adored her," he continued, revealing that Diana had visited his wife and their newborn child in the hospital and that the princess threw a birthday party for a of her children at Kensington Palace.

"Three people" in her marriage

He said he regretted the false account statements but stressed that they had "nothing to do" with the revelations made during the interview. Diana had in particular affirmed that there were "three people" in her marriage - in reference to the relationship that Charles had with Camilla Parker Bowles - and admitted to having an affair herself.

Mr. Bashir was little known at the time but had subsequently followed up on a successful career, notably interviewing Michael Jackson. The now-deceased pop star complained to the British audiovisual regulator, accusing Martin Bashir of giving a distorted image of his behavior and conduct as a father. The journalist then worked for the

BBC

as a correspondent in charge of religion, until his resignation last week for health reasons, shortly before the delivery of the Dyson report.