DANCE GRAVE

them, but they eventually reverted to Mr Settelen.

He has sold them to Channel 4 for an undisclosed sum and they form the heart of a documentary, Diana: In Her Own Words, to be shown tonight.

Friends of the Royal family are said to be aghast that the private tapes will be aired, barely a week after Princes William and Harry paid public tribute to their mum with a film of their own.

Ghoulish

Critics claim that the film is “exploitative” and “ghoulish”.

Royal biographer Penny Junor, who has written studies of the Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince William and Prince Harry, condemned the decision to screen the tapes.

They were first broadcast in the US in 2004, but have not been seen since.

The BBC bought some of the footage in 2007 but the project was shelved amid claims it would be deemed ‘ in bad taste’.

Ms Junor said: “This is just another way of exploiting Diana. It’s not what Charles or the boys would want. It will be deeply hurtful to them.

“It seems to me a very bad idea to broadcast these tapes – especially at this difficult time for the family.”

But Channel 4 has strongly defended its decision to air the recordings. Ralph Lee, its deputy chief creative officer, said the conversations could not be considered private as they were done in a question- and- answer style with a camera running.

“The word that has been used is that the footage is somehow ‘ ghoulish’. I simply don’t agree with that.

“She is self- consciously and clearly taking part in a filmed process. I don’t think viewers will feel greatly uneasy with that.”