How convenient! BBC f inds ‘lost’ Diana letter that let Bashir off hook

After 24 years, note turns up – just as a new inquiry looms

THE BBC last night announced it had ‘recovered’ a long-lost note handwritten by Princess Diana.

The vital letter – supposedly the corporation’s ‘get out of jail free’ card for the Martin Bashir scandal – was miraculously found after 24 years.

It came as Patrick Jephson, Diana’s private secretary, revealed his hurt and anger at the BBC reporter’s ‘treachery’ and his ‘devious methods’ used to dupe her into giving the famous 1995 Panorama interview.

Until yesterday, the corporation was inexplicably unable to locate the Princess’s crucial letter, which it had previously used to exonerate itself over claims of Bashir’s underhand tactics. Some sen

‘This is no way to hold an inquiry’

ior figures, including former BBC chairman Lord Grade, questioned whether Diana’s testimony was even real.

But now, with a new inquiry on the way, a spokesman said last night: ‘The BBC has now recovered the Princess’s original handwritten note which is referred to in our records from the time. We will pass it on to the independent investigation. As there has been a lot of commentary about this note and journalists have asked about it, we thought it appropriate to put on record that we’ve now recovered it.’

Asked where it had been found, when, and whether Bashir had kept it or if it had been discovered somewhere inside the BBC, she refused to answer.

Last night Dai Davies, a former head of royal protection, said: ‘It all sounds very convenient to me, suddenly finding crucial evidence. This is no way to hold an inquiry, with key participants just coming up with useful evidence.

‘This should all be being handled by the police, not the BBC press office. If this was any other organisation, they would be getting a heavy knock on the door from police officers.’

The exact wording of the Diana letter has never been seen publicly. It was supposedly couriered from Kensington Palace in 1996 to satisfy BBC top brass that she was happy with her Panorama interview, following revelations that Bashir had used forged bank statements to trick her i nto granting it. A history of the flagship programme records that Panorama editor Steve Hewlett, who died in 2017, said he would provide proof there was nothing wrong with the interview.

Soon afterwards, the handwritten note arrived, apparently to confirm Diana had given the interview freely, and her decision to do so was not influenced by any documents.

Insiders assume it was Bashir who procured the note, but its exact provenance has never been confirmed. After its arrival, senior manager Tim Suter was quoted as saying: ‘We could relax.’

But incredibly, the note then went missing. Earlier this week, Lord Grade said: ‘We don’t know if that letter was just another forgery. We don’t know, because it’s disappeared, conveniently.’

Yesterday the BBC insisted the letter was genuine and would form part of the independent inquiry announced by new director-general Tim Davie this week.

However, former policeman Mr Davies called on Scotland Yard to ‘do the right thing and launch an investigation’. He said: ‘Really, the facts speak for themselves. There is an admission by the BBC that fake documents were used. Why are the Met not investigating?

‘It seems straightforward that Mr Bashir – on behalf of the BBC – used a forged instrument in order to gain an advantage.

There is bona fide case of fraud by false representation under the Fraud Act. As for this sudden discovery of the crucial letter, it should be handed to the police as important evidence needing forensic examination.’

A BBC source said: ‘It is simply wrong to say the BBC has made any admissions of criminality. Yes, there was a document mocked up, but no one has admitted to forgery. All these matters will be examined in fine detail by the independent inquiry.’

Writing i n today’s Mail, Mr Jephson – Diana’s private secretary of eight years – speaks for the first time about being among the targets of Bashir’s alleged smears to convince the princess that her staff were betraying her.

Mr Jephson tells of his surprise, shock and anger at the revelations about how the journalist landed his scoop.

According to a dossier revealed by Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, Bashir told the princess that Mr Jephson was being paid by the security services to spy on her.

Mr Jephson said: ‘Bashir took time to study his quarry’s vulnerabilities, research her family, friends and close staff, and meticulously plan to exploit and smear them all, one by one.

‘It was my job to protect Diana. The private secretary had to be neutralised if he was to get the access he needed.’

Bashir fed Diana 32 jaw-dropping lies, including that ‘dangerous’ Mr Jephson – along with Prince Charles’s top aide – were in the pocket of MI5.