-
BBC agrees substantial payout to Princess Diana's private secretary
The Swiss Info reported, citing Reuters, the BBC said on Thursday it had agreed to make a substantial payout to the former private secretary of the late Princess Diana over the corporation's now much-criticised 1995 interview with the royal.
Last May, a report concluded that BBC journalist Martin Bashir had used deceit to obtain the interview which caused a sensation when Diana admitted to an affair, and shared details of her marriage to the heir to the throne, Prince Charles.
In a statement, the BBC said it had now reached a settlement with Patrick Jephson, who worked for Diana until shortly before her 1997 death in a Parish car crash.
The statement said: "The BBC accepts and acknowledges that serious harm was caused to Commander Jephson as a result of the circumstances in which the 1995 interview with Diana, Princess of Wales was obtained, which have become apparent as a result of the Dyson Report."
"The BBC apologises unreservedly to Commander Jephson for the harm caused to him and has paid his legal costs. The BBC has also paid Commander Jephson a substantial sum in damages, which he intends to donate in full to British charities nominated by him."
In a statement, Jephson said it was a "relief finally to reach a conclusion to this painful episode".
Clergyman pleaded with Buckingham palace to let Elton John sing at Diana's funeral
The report, headed by former senior judge John Dyson, found that Bashir had deceived Diana's brother into arranging a meeting with her by producing fake bank statements suggesting she was being bugged by the security services and that two senior aides were being paid to provide information about her.
Diana the Voice of Change; a new book by her voice coach
Its conclusions drew an angry rebuke from Diana's son, Prince William, who said the 'Panorama' interview had poisoned his parents relationship and hurt countless others.
Source: swissinfo
Tags
You May Also Like
Popular Posts
Caricature
NATO Secretary-General Ex...
- November 7, 2024
Amid growing anxiety among several European countries participating in NATO over Donald Trump's victory in the U.S. presidential election, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte stated he looks forward to sitting down with Trump.
Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.
Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.
On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.
It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.
Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.
Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
opinion
Report
ads
Newsletter
Subscribe to our mailing list to get the new updates!