22 Million Fooled by 'Manipulation' Interview... BBC Donates 2.2 Billion Won from Princess Diana Video Profits

London Citizens Commemorate the 25th Anniversary of Princess Diana's Death
[Image Source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] The British BBC has reportedly donated the proceeds from an interview with Princess Diana, which was created through past fraudulent activities.

On the 2nd (local time), BBC announced that it donated ?1.42 million (approximately 2.228 billion KRW) earned from commercially selling the Diana interview. The donations were distributed to seven organizations associated with Princess Diana, including the Royal Ballet, children's hospitals, homeless youth support foundations, and AIDS foundations. This also included the Diana Award, established in her memory.

Princess Diana, the first wife of Prince Charles, son of Queen Elizabeth, divorced in 1996 and died in a car accident in Paris, France, in August the following year. Throughout her life, she practiced a life of giving directly to citizens and is still regarded as an icon of the British royal family and called the "People's Princess."

The controversial interview aired in November 1995 on a BBC program. At that time, Princess Diana revealed for the first time in an interview with the BBC the affair between her husband, Prince Charles, and his long-time lover Camilla Parker Bowles (now his wife). It became a sensation, watched by 22.8 million viewers.

However, last year, controversy arose when it was revealed that the background of Diana's interview involved fraudulent acts by BBC staff.

According to major foreign media, Charles Spencer, Earl Spencer and Diana's brother, exposed that Martin Bashir, then a BBC journalist, pushed for the interview using forged bank statements and lies.

As the controversy grew, BBC commissioned an independent investigation by retired Supreme Court judge Sir John Dyson, who acknowledged Earl Spencer's claims. In his investigation report, he concluded that "Bashir acted inappropriately and seriously breached BBC editorial standards." He also strongly criticized the 1996 BBC investigation, which concluded that Bashir was not at fault without verifying Earl Spencer's claims.

In response, BBC accepted the investigation results as they were and issued an unconditional apology. They also promised never to rebroadcast the interview and reportedly are compensating those harmed by the interview.

The black Ford car that Diana, Princess of Wales, personally drove during her lifetime was unveiled on the 27th of last month (local time) at the Silverstone Race Circuit in Towcester, Northamptonshire, ahead of an auction held by the auction house Silverstone Auctions.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

Meanwhile, on the 27th of last month, the car that Princess Diana personally drove during her lifetime attracted intense interest at an auction and was sold at a high price. According to the AP News, at an auction held by auction house Silverstone Auctions that day, Princess Diana's black Ford Escort RS Turbo 1 Series was finally sold for ?650,000 (approximately 1.02 billion KRW). The identity of the buyer was not disclosed.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.