The Diana interview that enthralled the nation and broke Prince William's heart: On this day in 1995 Martin Bashir used deceit to get the scandal-ridden royal scoop - but it is now regarded as the BBC

When it comes to famous royal interviews, two stand out in particular. Princess Diana's sit-down with BBC Panorama's Martin Bashir was aired on November 20, 1995 A 2021 investigation into the interview found Bashir had used 'deceitful behaviour' by falsifying documents to convince Diana to take part in the programme It was watched by 20million people and became infamous when Diana spilled the secrets of her and Charles's messy marriage, including the iconic line 'there were three of us in the marriage, so it was a bit crowded' William was left in floods of tears after he watched the interview as a 13-year-old at Eton Following 2021 report, Prince William demanded a boycott of the 1995 interview and blasted Bashir's 'false claims' which fuelled his mother's 'paranoia and isolation' of her final years In the early 1990s, the disintegration of Princess Diana and Prince Charles's marriage was splashed across every newspaper in Britain - dubbed 'The War of the Waleses'. The only other royal interview to become as notorious as Diana's 1995 sit-down with Bashir was in 2019, when Emily Maitlis grilled Prince Andrew about his friendship with the paedophile sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein The Daily Mail's front page the day after Princess Diana's shocking Panorama interview in 1995 Diana's statement that 'there were three of us in the marriage, so it was a bit crowded' was covered extensively by the press Princess Diana, the then Prince Charles and their children watch veterans as they march past on The Mall as part of the commemorations of VJ Day in August 1995 Bashir used forged bank statements and lied that MI6 had recorded Prince Charles planning the 'end game', and that Prince William's watch had been bugged, all designed to draw the vulnerable princess into his confidence Press coverage at the time discussed the BBC's failed 'investigation' into Bashir However, despite allegations at the time, Bashir managed to dismiss claims he had lied to get the interview by alleging it was a smear campaign The allegations that Bashir lied to get the interview were covered up by the BBC for 25 years The truth of Bashir's dirty tricks only came out following an official investigation led by a retired judge Lord Dyson in 2021 However despite allegations at the time, Bashir managed to dismiss claims he had lied to get the interview by claiming it was a smear campaign to get him. Royal expert Tina Brown was told Diana chose to speak about Hewitt because he was the only one of her ex-lovers who wasn't married The boyfriend in question was the dashing Captain James Hewitt, William and Harry's riding instructor Princess Diana, Prince Harry, Prince William and Prince Charles on William's first day at Eton in 1995, two months before the bombshell interview As well as admitting to her own extramarital affairs, Diana also suggested that Charles might not be cut out for the throne. In 2022, Netflix ignored pleas from Prince William not to exploit the interview during the fifth series of The Crown in a two-episode bombshell In his inquiry, Lord Dyson found that Bashir deceived Earl Spencer into introducing the journalist to his sister by showing him forged bank statements that falsely suggested individuals were being paid to keep the Princess under surveillance Understandably aghast, Diana's brother Earl Spencer was said to believe his vulnerable sister had been trapped in a web of lies by Bashir who had established 'coercive control' over her.