Princess Diana Panorama interview: Police rule out probe

Almost 23 million people saw the Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales

Police have ruled out a criminal inquiry into the background to BBC reporter Martin Bashir's 1995 interview with Diana, Princess of Wales.

A former employee of Diana's brother, Earl Spencer, claimed false documents were allegedly used to win Diana's trust before her Panorama appearance.

The Metropolitan Police said correspondence alleging unlawful activity had been "carefully assessed".

The BBC has launched an independent investigation into the claims.

Earl Spencer had alleged last year that Bashir used forged bank statements which wrongly purported to show that two senior courtiers were being paid by the security services for information on his sister.

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A legal representative for Alan Waller, who worked for Earl Spencer as head of security, subsequently made a formal complaint to the Met alleging unlawful activity.

Scotland Yard said "no further action" will be taken.

Commander Alex Murray said: "Following this detailed assessment and in view of the [legal] advice we received, we have determined that it is not appropriate to begin a criminal investigation into these allegations.

"In this matter, as in any other, should any significant new evidence come to light we will assess it."

At the time of the Panorama programme, Diana was separated from Prince Charles but not yet divorced.

Almost 23 million people tuned in to watch the programme. In it, the princess famously said "there were three of us in this marriage", referring to the Prince of Wales's relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles.

Diana died on 31 August 1997, aged 36, in a car crash in a Paris underpass.

Bashir, 58, currently BBC News religion editor, has been recovering from heart surgery and complications from Covid-19 and had been unable to comment on Earl Spencer's allegations.

The BBC investigation is looking at the steps Bashir and the corporation took to secure the interview.

Lord Dyson, who was Master of the Rolls - the second most senior judge in England and Wales - for four years until he retired in October 2016, is leading the probe.

The BBC said it was handing over "all of its relevant records" to him.

It has revealed that a previously missing note from Diana, thought to indicate she was happy with the way her interview by BBC Panorama was obtained, had been found.

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