EXCLUSIVE: Princess Diana Died Haunted by One 'Catastrophic' Event She Was Convinced Had 'Hurt' Her Sons William and Harry
Diana feared one devastating event caused lasting harm to her sons.
Jan. 10 2026, Published 2:45 p.m. ET
RadarOnline.com can reveal Princess Diana was haunted in the final days of her life by one catastrophic decision she believed had harmed her sons – privately expressing regret just 10 days before her death that the choice had wounded her boys Prince William and Prince Harry.
Her fears reached a peak during a final holiday Diana took to Greece in August 1997, shortly before the former Princess of Wales died in a Paris car crash on August 31 that year aged 36.
The Interview She Came to Despise
Princess Diana regretted her BBC 'Panorama' interview in her final days.
Friends told us Diana reflected on the lasting impact of her 1995 BBC Panorama interview, and said she believed it had caused deep harm to her children, then aged 15 and 12.
A source said: "Diana totally regretted taking part in the televised interview with journalist Martin Bashir. The decision weighed massively heavy on her as a mother, as she thought it had done irreparable harm to her beloved boys."
They added it was one of the "biggest regrets" she had – and one she took to the grave as she never got a chance to talk through her feelings on the matter with her sons.
Diana's tell-all interview, broadcast on November 20, 1995, was one of the most explosive moments in modern royal history.
A Royal Earthquake With Lasting Damage
She believed the interview caused lasting pain for Prince William and Harry.
It saw Di speak openly about her eating disorders, the breakdown of her marriage to Prince Charles, now King Charles III, 77, and her feelings of isolation within the royal family.
The program's impact was immediate and seismic, contributing to Queen Elizabeth II urging Charles and Diana to divorce after nearly three years of separation.
A friend said Diana was "extremely vulnerable" at the time.
In the years following Diana's death, scrutiny over how the interview was landed intensified.
A 2021 inquiry led by Lord Dyson concluded journalist Martin Bashir had used forged documents to secure Diana's cooperation and that the BBC failed to uphold journalistic standards.
Diana never learned the full extent of the deception before her death.
Betrayal, Deception and William's Fury
The broadcast accelerated the collapse of her marriage to King Charles.
Prince William, now 43, later spoke publicly about the damage he believed the interview caused his mother.
He said it contributed to her "fear, paranoia, and isolation," adding: "She was failed not just by a rogue reporter but by leaders at the BBC who looked the other way rather than asking tough questions."
Royal experts told us Diana had mixed feelings about the interview.
One said Diana viewed it as "catastrophic," despite also admitting it had helped others by showing the humanity behind the royals – and that anyone can experience hardship in their marriage.
They added Diana was moved to tears by the thousands of letters that poured into her from viewers of her interview who had shared her trauma over eating disorders and turbulent marriages.
But sources stressed Diana deeply regretted the TV sit-down due to the impact it had on her boys.
Regret That Followed Her to the Grave
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Diana felt torn between helping others and harming her children.
As the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana's death approaches in August 2027, preparations are already taking shape among her sons and her global community of admirers.
William and Harry, 40, are expected to mark the milestone privately and publicly, with her younger son said to be plotting the making of a tell-all documentary on his mother, which is set to include details of how her death and funeral affected him and about her stormy marriage to Charles.
Sources said both brothers are mindful of the anniversary's emotional weight and its significance for charities Diana championed, particularly those focused on homelessness and mental health.
For Diana's fans, the anniversary will represent a moment of remembrance and renewed affection for a figure who continues to resonate across generations.
Informal memorial gatherings are anticipated at Kensington Palace, Paris, and other sites linked to her life, alongside exhibitions, documentaries and charity initiatives inspired by her humanitarian work.
A palace source said: "Three decades on, Diana's influence remains vivid, with admirers and family alike preparing to reflect on her compassion, vulnerability, and enduring impact."
