Princess Diana's ex-butler reveals her one regret from Martin Bashir interview

Princess Diana's ex-butler has shared her one regret after the infamous BBC interview

Princess Diana's ex-butler has shared her one regret after the infamous BBC interview - Photo by David Levenson/Getty Images
(Image credit: David Levenson/Getty Images)

Princess Diana's ex-butler has shared the one regret the late royal had about her infamous BBC interview with Martin Bashir in 1995. 


Paul Burrell, who worked as Lady Diana's personal servant for ten years, has revealed that the iconic princess expressed regret at discussing a particular aspect of her personal life in the exclusive Panorama program. 

A recent independent investigation into the interview, conducted by Lord Dyson, found that the BBC had behaved 'in a deceitful way' to gain access to the Princess of Wales. The inquiry uncovered that Bashir had forged documents to coerce Diana to participate in the program and that the BBC had failed to appropriately investigate concerns following the interview in 1996. 

Prince William released a statement on the report's findings yesterday, detailing how the BBC's "lies" in the Princess Diana interview worsened his parents' relationship. 

A letter written by Diana in 1995, published as part of the inquiry as evidence, revealed that the princess 'consented to the interview' and had 'no regrets.' However, Burrell has now come forward to dispute these statements. 

Speaking to Lorraine today, the former royal staffer recalled a conversation he had with Diana in which she shared her concerns about one issue raised in the interview. 

Princess Diana and butler Paul Burrell

Princess Diana's ex-butler has shared the one regret the late royal after the infamous BBC interview 

(Image credit: Photo by Antony Jones/UK Press via Getty Images)

"She said to me, 'I did have one regret with the interview, I did regret speaking about James Hewitt because I wondered how that would affect William and Harry,”’ he told the ITV host. 

Diana spoke candidly to Bashir about her five-year-long relationship with James Hewitt, the riding instructor with whom she'd had an affair. 

"Yes, I adored him. Yes, I was in love with him," she said. The pair broke off their entanglement in 1991 when Hewitt's commitments in the military became too much for Diana to bear. She admitted to feeling 'betrayed' to Bashir, having felt that Hewitt chose his career over her. 

Burrell also suggested that Bashir exploited Diana's naivety, arguing that she was unaware of how "deceitful he was and what he really wanted."

In response to Lord Dyson's inquiry, Bashir has shared his remorse for forging documents and apologized for deceiving Diana. However, he continues to stand by the legitimacy of the interview, insisting the documents had "no bearing whatsoever on the personal choice by Princess Diana to take part in the interview." 

Emma Dooney
Lifestyle News Writer

Hailing from the lovely city of Dublin, Emma mainly covers the Royal Family and the entertainment world, as well as the occasional health and wellness feature. Always up for a good conversation, she has a passion for interviewing everyone from A-list celebrities to the local GP - or just about anyone who will chat to her, really.


Emma holds an MA in International Journalism from City, University of London, and a BA in English Literature from Trinity College Dublin.