BBC to Pay 'Substantial Damages' to Former Royal Nanny Over Martin Bashir's 'Improperly Obtained' Interview

justjared.com:

BBC has agreed to pay substantial damages to former royal nanny Alexandra Pettifer, formerly known as Tiggy Legge-Bourke, after airing “false and malicious” allegations that she had an affair with Prince Charles and terminated a pregnancy.

The claims came from journalist Martin Bashir in order to obtain his 1995 Panorama interview with Princess Diana. Click inside to read more… Last year, the BBC launched an inquiry into the infamous interview, in which Diana made some shocking revelations at the time about the inner workings of royal life and her relationships with other members of the Royal Family, including her husband at the time, Prince Charles. Martin was found “guilty of deceit,” as he had persuaded Diana’s brother Earl Spencer with false claims in order to secure the interview. Alexandra‘s lawyer Louise Prince told the High Court that “the allegations were fabricated” and that Princess Diana became “upset with (Pettifer) without apparent justification” because of the lies.

In addition, Alexandra was “extremely upset and confused” over the awkward situation and felt as though “she had to prove to others that the allegations were untrue by revealing highly sensitive matters, including private medical information,” Prince said.

The lawyer added that the story caused Alexandra “great distress” that has followed her “over the intervening 25 years.” BBC representatives apologized to Alexandra in court and agreed to pay damages. “The BBC accepts that the allegations made against the claimant were wholly baseless, should never have been made, and that the BBC did not, at the time, adequately investigate serious concerns over the circumstance in which the BBC secured the Panorama interview with Diana, the Princess