Princess Diana Regretted BBC Panorama Interview With Martin Bashir, Friend Reveals
Princess Diana was afraid that she made a massive mistake on the night of her BBC Panorama interview with Martin Bashir, a close friend has revealed.
According to Debbie Frank, an astrologer, the mother-of-two called her the day before the scheduled BBC show aired and told her breathlessly how she was having doubts of it going public - however, it was later too late.
In an interview with the Sunday People, she reportedly said (via The Mirror), "She called me the day before it aired and said, 'I've done this big thing, and I hope it's the right thing and doesn't create too many waves. I needed to tell my story - it's time people heard the truth."
Debbie claimed how the Princess of Wales sounded "quite breathy" and in a "highly-charged state."
The Princess's friend also revealed how Lady Spencer was so worried that the public might turn against her and that she did the wrong thing.
"She had taken advice from a few people and was no longer sure it was the right thing to do," Debbie revealed.
"I told her, 'It will have great implications, but I understand why you've done it."
She was only able to calm down when she was shown the polls of how the public reacted to her tell-all about her relationship to the heir to the throne, Prince Charles.
"I was trying to calm her down and saying, 'You will manage no matter what happens.'"
Debbie, who was one of the Princess of Wales' closest friends before dying at the age of 36 in a Paris accident in 1997, slammed the BBC reporter Bashir to manipulate the royal.
The confidant also believes that Bashir exploited Princess Diana in the way "other men have exploited her in her life."
She also revealed that the Princess liked Bashir because she felt like he was a newbie who had come inside from the outside, but "she allowed him to manipulate her, basically."
Debbie claimed that Bashir "preyed on someone that was in an extremely vulnerable state."
"Diana must have known that she was taking a risk because she didn't tell anyone in her inner circle about the interview until it was too late."
She also said how Bashir came into the perfect moment by creating a storm - which would ultimately boost his career.
"Diana had been convinced she was being bugged for a long time and was constantly having the Palace swept for listening devices."
Debbie's explosive testimony comes after allegations about the 57-year-old Martin Bashir, and the BBC used to win the Princess of Wales' trust.
On Saturday, it was claimed that Bashir convinced Princess Diana that her life was in danger and issued a chilling warning about the security forces by saying, "'They're going to wipe you.'"
Allegedly, Bashir also showed her some forged bank statements to back his claims.
According to royal biographer Andrew Morton, "Bashir was feeding her stories which left her, and I am quoting one of Diana's confidantes here, 'terrified, horrified.'"
Prince William, one of Princess Diana's sons, issued a rare statement supporting the investigation into his late mother's infamous interview.
"The independent investigation is a step in the right direction. It should help establish the truth behind the actions that led to the Panorama interview and subsequent decisions taken by those in the BBC at the time."
