Diana documentary may be controversial but it is an important historical record of the royals, says Channel 4
“NONE of us will forget the moment on Panorama when Diana said: “There were three of us in this marriage.”
It wasn’t that it was breaking news, Camilla was hardly a secret, but the fact she said it in public was hugely significant. Diana decided to make the story of her ill-fated marriage public.
She did it because she decided it was important.
In our documentary portrait, Diana: In Her Own Words, we show, for the first time on British TV, extracts of tapes she recorded with Peter Settelen.
The decision to show the tapes has proved controversial but they are an important part of the historical record.
With Diana at her most candid, informal, natural and charismatic the videos provide valuable new insight into one of the world’s most iconic women of the late 20th century.
They represent the only full length filmed conversations with Diana about her own life and are an illuminating document to a figure who will loom large in our history books.
The footage is supported in our film by in-depth interviews with those closest to Diana including her former personal protection officer Ken Wharfe and former private secretary Patrick Jephson.
Two of her closest confidants at that time, ballet teacher Anne Allan and friend Dr James Colthurst have also chosen to speak out in the film for the first time.
They all believe that at a time when a plethora of films about Diana are being released it is important that her words, her voice is represented.
Twenty years have passed since her untimely death and while there is still strong public feeling for her and deep public sympathy for her sons, the process of seeing Diana as a historical figure has begun.
After all, she shook up the British monarchy, brought a new tone to public life and shaped the young men who represent the future of the Windsors.
She will be the ancestor of all our future kings and queens.
The argument that the matters she discusses in the footage are private and not for public consumption simply doesn’t hold sway.
What she speaks about in the tapes is a matter of public record and marriage is to monarchy what elections are to democracy – they have always, and always will be, scrutinised and examined.
We are confident the fleeting debate around the ethics of airing these tapes to mark this landmark anniversary of her death will be far outlived by the significant public interest in broadcasting the tapes and understanding both Diana and the Prince of Wales.