Prince William "Wept" While Watching Princess Diana's Infamous BBC Panorama Interview
Princess Diana's explosive tell-all interview on BBC Panorama deeply affected her oldest son, Prince William, who reportedly wept while watching it.
- Princess Diana's explosive BBC Panorama interview in 1995 shocked royal fans—and members of the royal family, including her then-teenage son, Prince William.
- William reportedly took the interview very hard and was discovered after by his Eton housemaster, slumped over and visibly shaken.
- "Before the 58 minutes ended, William was weeping," according to royal historian and biographer Robert Lacey.
In 1995, Princess Diana broke all kinds of royal precedent and protocol when she sat down for an explosive, tell-all interview with journalist Martin Bashir on BBC Panorama. In the now-infamous interview, Diana candidly discussed the breakdown of her marriage to Prince Charles, including his affair with his now-wife Camilla Parker Bowles and her own affair with James Hewitt.
Diana's oldest son, Prince William, was 13 years old when the interview aired and, by all accounts, it had a huge impact on him.
According to The Mirror, royal historian and biographer Robert Lacey explained that William actually "wept" while watching the interview and that "something inside him snapped."
"Before the 58 minutes ended, William was weeping," Lacey writes in his newest book, Battle Of Brothers: William, Harry And The Inside Story Of A Family In Tumult, adding that William's housemaster at Eton, Dr. Andrew Gailey, actually found the young prince in the midst of a mini-breakdown after he watched the show. "Gailey told Diana that he found her son slumped on the sofa, his eyes red with tears."
William is currently supporting an inquiry from the BBC into renewed allegations that Bashir manipulated Diana by forging documents to secure the interview.
RELATED STORIES
Stay In The Know
Get exclusive access to fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more.
Kayleigh Roberts is a freelance writer and editor with over 10 years of professional experience covering entertainment of all genres, from new movie and TV releases to nostalgia, and celebrity news. Her byline has appeared in Marie Claire, Cosmopolitan, ELLE, Harper’s Bazaar, The Atlantic, Allure, Entertainment Weekly, MTV, Bustle, Refinery29, Girls’ Life Magazine, Just Jared, and Tiger Beat, among other publications. She's a graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University.
-
Sofia Richie Grainge Styles Zebra Pants With Flip-Flops
Next stop on the tour: her elegant wedding venue in the South of France.
-
Gigi Hadid Pairs Metallic Track Pants and Mesh Flats
The controversial shoe trend is most definitely gaining steam.
-
Body Language Expert Says Kate Can't "Mask Her Emotions"
"We also saw William...mirroring the same emotions as Kate."
-
Body Language Expert Reveals Kate Middleton Can't "Mask Her Emotions" at Trooping the Colour 2025
"We also saw William...mirroring the same emotions as Kate."
-
Kate Middleton's Trooping the Colour Outfit Features a Special Tribute to Queen Elizabeth II
Catherine made sure the late monarch's presence was felt at the prestigious event.
-
Kate Middleton Channels Princess Diana in a Catherine Walker Coat Dress at Trooping the Colour 2025
The Princess of Wales even wore the same designer as her late mother-in-law.
-
This Vintage Clip of Kate Middleton Apologizing to Prince William After Beating Him in a Boat Race Is Going Viral on TikTok
"We were sabotaged," Will joked after Kate beat him not once, but twice.
-
The "Cheeky" Joke Prince William Made Referencing a Former Queen at Formal Windsor Castle Event
The Prince of Wales was speaking to 'Bad Sisters' star Anne-Marie Duff at the time.
-
How Prince George and Prince William's "Shared Passion" Made a Windsor Castle Event "Extra Special" for One Attendee
The father and son duo have made quite the impact.
-
Princess Diana's "Favorite" Royal Photographer Says There's One Photo He "Regrets" Taking of Her
"They didn't see me as I was hiding in the bushes."
-
Princess Eugenie Has Allegedly "Formed an Alliance" With Prince William, Which Could Impact Her Future Within the Royal Family
A "shared passion" has "brought the cousins closer together."