THE Crown is to dramatise Martin Bashir’s disgraced Panorama interview with Princess Diana — despite her son William’s plea for it never to be broadcast again.
Netflix will air an entire episode focusing on the tragic royal’s controversial sit-down with Bashir in 1995.
William, 39, lashed out at the BBC broadcast this year, saying it had triggered a “false narrative” and holds “no legitimacy”.
Netflix has forked out millions on an episode devoted to Princess Diana’s Panorama interview which will be pivotal to The Crown’s new series, insiders say.
The streaming giant’s decision to dramatise her sit-down with Martin Bashir puts it at odds with Prince William, who called for it never to be shown again.
William, 39, spoke out after a bombshell report found Bashir lied and used underhand tactics to gain his mother’s trust.
But senior sources say Netflix, which has a £112million deal with William’s brother Harry, is going ahead with the special episode.
An insider told The Celeb Report: “The Crown’s creators see the interview as the keystone moment in series five.
“To the writers, the stormy marriage between Charles and Di led up to her outpouring on Panorama, and the aftermath of that decision defined her final months.
“They are making a huge investment in that. The Crown has a track record of delving into areas of the Royal Family’s history they’d rather be left alone.”
Diana famously said “there were three of us in the marriage” — a dig at Charles and Camilla. William watched it in tears at Eton.
Earlier this year, he hit out at Bashir’s crooked methods — exposed by the Lord Dyson report — to dupe his mum.
He said: “This Panorama programme holds no legitimacy and should never be aired again.
“It effectively established a false narrative which, for over a quarter of a century, has been commercialised by the BBC and others.”
Ingrid Seward, editor-in-chief of Majesty Magazine, said yesterday: “This would be extremely upsetting and the only protection William has is not to watch it.”
Royal commentator Margaret Holder added: “William was dismayed at the time. It is also embarrassing for Harry.”
It emerged yesterday the producers are looking for a boy to play William at 13, his age in 1995.
Timothee Sambor, 11, has been portraying the younger Wills with Aussie Elizabeth Debicki, 31, playing Diana.
Netflix did not comment.
