THREE DECADE SHAVE now passed since 23 million people in this country, and a further 200 million around the world, watched the most gripping piece of television ever broadcast. On 20 November 1995, Princess Diana, then 34, appeared on BBC's Panorama for an interview with a then largely unknown reporter, Martin Bashir. It produced many memorable lines, including, ‘Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded.’ Diana was assumed to be telling it like it is, unloading years of bitterness towards Camilla Parker-Bowles, who had stolen the affections of her husband, Prince Charles.
But the reality, as explained in my book, Dianarama, researched over nearly 20 years, with close access to insiders, is vastly more complicated. I believe she was unwittingly delivering well-practised…