British police announced Thursday that they will not investigate allegations that the BBC illegally tricked Princess Diana into her bombshell 1995 interview about cheating in her royal marriage.
The BBC has previously admitted its journalists used fake bank statements as it was accused of a barrage of “fantastical stories” to win Lady Di’s trust before the Panorama special with Martin Bashir.
Watched by more than 23 million people, Diana accused husband Prince Charles of cheating with his now-wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, famously saying, “There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.”
Scotland Yard Commander Alex Murray confirmed Thursday that London’s Metropolitan Police had “received correspondence alleging unlawful activity in connection with a documentary broadcast in 1995.”
“This was carefully assessed by specialist detectives,” Murray said.
“They obtained legal advice from Metropolitan Police lawyers, independent counsel, and from the Crown Prosecution Service.
“Following this detailed assessment and in view of the advice we received, we have determined that it is not appropriate to begin a criminal investigation into these allegations. No further action will be taken,” he said.
However, he stressed that “should any significant new evidence come to light we will assess it.”
Diana — the mother of princes William and Harry — was estranged from Charles at the time of the interview, which formally ended in 1996, a year before Diana’s death in Paris.
Her brother, Charles Spencer, has claimed that the BBC team concocted 32 lies to secure Diana’s participation in the interview, feeding on her paranoia that she was being spied on, according to earlier reports.
The BBC has previously apologized and promised to “robustly and fairly” investigate, with an inquiry led by a UK Supreme Court judge.
Bashir has not publicly addressed the scandal, with his network previously saying he was “seriously unwell” and unable to be interviewed.
With Post wires
