In the controversial interview with Martin Bashir, Princess Diana gave her account of events; British journalist David Dimbleby argued that the late princess wasn’t forced to do the interview.

The seasoned journalist claimed that despite Bashir’s infamous behaviour, the Princess of Wales was given the opportunity to freely express her side of the tale.

Days That Shook the BBC, a documentary chronicling the major disputes involving the broadcaster, has been directed by Dimbleby.

“Showing the Diana interview is the one argument that I lost,” he said. “My view – and I put it forcefully and regularly – was that I didn’t want to show the interview as such, although I believe it has historical validity, but that it underlined the BBC’s independence.”

“I understand Prince William’s objections and the problem with how the interview was achieved, but I don’t believe Diana was coerced into giving it.

“You can see it in the interview. She clearly wants to say her part, she was not bullied or hectored into it. The clips show that what she was saying was genuinely meant.

“But the BBC had just reached a legal settlement with the former royal nanny Alexandra Pettifer [Tiggy Legge-Bourke] and [current director-general] Tim Davie pledged the BBC would not show it again except for journalistic reasons,” he continued.