Earl Spencer demands criminal charges over the Princess Diana BBC scandal

Earl Spencer is demanding criminal charges over the Princess Diana BBC scandal.

The call from the late royal’s brother came as the broadcaster apologised for the “shocking” reporter way Martin Bashir obtained his notorious interview with Mr Spencer’s sister for the Panorama documentary series.

Corporation boss Tim Davie pledged to never show the programme again as a defamation case launched by Diana’s former royal nanny Tiggy Legge-Bourke about smears made by the journalist concluded on Thursday. (21.07.22)

It ended with the BBC agreeing to pay the 57-year-old major damages over “fabricated” allegations she had an affair with the Prince of Wales while working as Charles’ personal assistant in the mid-1990s.

Bashir, 59, is also said to have tricked Diana, who died aged 36 in an August 1997 Paris car crash, into believing the nanny had become pregnant by Charles by showing her a faked “receipt” for the alleged abortion.

Mr Spencer, 58, said on Thursday (21.07.22): “While I’m delighted to see that another innocent victim of this appalling scandal is being vindicated, it’s amazing to me that no criminal charges have been levelled against those responsible, yet.”

He has long called for criminal charges to be brought, but police have said they would not launch an investigation after assessing a report into the BBC show.

Miss Legge-Bourke’s solicitor told the court allegations about Charles, 73, had caused “serious personal consequences for all concerned” and said the ex-royal nanny had no idea about the source of the allegations.

It was added it is now likely the “false and malicious allegations” were liked to “BBC Panorama’s efforts to procure an exclusive interview with Diana, Princess of Wales”.

BBC director-general Mr Davie, 55, said he apologised for the way “Princess Diana was deceived” and for the “subsequent impact” on the lives of her family, including her children, princes William and Harry.

He added: “Had we done our job properly Princess Diana would have known the truth during her lifetime. We let her, the royal family and our audiences down.”

But the corporation boss added there may be times when it will be “justified” for the BBC to use “short extracts” from the Bashir interview.