BBC inquiry into Diana interview scrutinises note written by royal praising Martin Bashir

The BBC inquiry into Martin Bashir’s 1995 interview with Princess Diana is scrutinising a handwritten letter from the royal which apparently showers the shamed journalist with praise.

The note went missing for more than 20 years after an over-eager panorama staff member took it home as a valuable souvenir – but handed it in last month.

Now, the BBC is using it as a tool to suggest that Diana never saw faked financial documents – commissioned by Mr Bashir – to convince her to speak on Panorama.

The BBC is using the letter as a tool to suggest that Diana (pictured during the interview) never saw faked financial documents – commissioned by Mr Bashir – to convince her to speak on Panorama

The letter on Kensington Palace stationery also purports to heap praise on the BBC’s shamed religion editor, who is currently on sick leave after developing Covid-19-related complications.

The contents of the letter has not been made public, but was examined by a previous 1996 internal BBC investigation into the circumstances surrounding Diana’s TV appearance. 

Lord Dyson – a retired judge and former master of the rolls – will now see the letter as part of his investigation to discover what steps the BBC and Mr Bashir took to land the Panorama interview with Diana in 1995.

A documentary about Panorama’s history claimed the letter reads something along the lines of: ‘This is to confirm that I gave you the interview freely and was not influenced by any documents.’ 

Diana’s brother Earl Spencer has alleged Mr Bashir showed him fake financial documents and told untrue stories about the royal family to gain access to her.  

The fake documents falsely suggested Diana’s then private secretary – and another royal household member – were being paid by the security services to spy on the princess, something that played on Diana’s fears about her safety and privacy.

Former BBC director-general Lord Hall led a 1996 internal BBC investigation into the circumstances surrounding Diana’s Panorama appearance, which sent shockwaves through the royal family with her revelations about the state of her marriage. 

The corporation has previously said in a statement that Mr Bashir admitted commissioning the mocked-up bank documents – relating to the earl’s employee -and it is understood the journalist was found to have ‘done wrong’ at the end of the process.

It is not known what sanction, if any, he faced.

Mr Bashir, now the BBC’s religion editor, is seriously ill with Covid-19-related complications and is not in a position to respond to the earl’s allegations, the BBC has said.

Diana’s brother Earl Spencer (left) has alleged Mr Bashir (right) showed him fake financial documents and told untrue stories about the royal family to gain access to Diana 

A spokeswoman for the corporation previously said: ‘A lot has been written and broadcast about the Princess of Wales’s interview in recent weeks. It is important that we have a view of what happened based on the evidence of everyone involved. Clearly that has not yet been able to happen.

‘But to be absolutely clear, the BBC is determined to get to the truth of what happened. That’s why we have appointed Lord Dyson to lead a fully independent investigation.

‘It is vital that everyone with information shares that with Lord Dyson, so that he can investigate thoroughly and draw his conclusions having heard all the evidence.’