Duke of Cambridge ignores question about Martin Bashir’s apology over his Princess Diana interview 

Prince William has ignored a question about Martin Bashir‘s apology over the Panorama interview with his mother as he continued his visit to Scotland today.

The Duke was trying his hand at woodworking as he visited the Grassmarket Community Project – which provides sanctuary and support for vulnerable people through community innovation and social enterprise – in Edinburgh.

As he left the venue, he was asked by a reporter whether he had seen Martin Bashir’s apology over the 1995 interview with his mother but did not respond.

The Prince earlier this week gave a scathing statement about the controversial interview after an inquiry found the broadcaster covered up the former BBC journalist’s ‘deceitful behaviour’.

Speaking to today’s Sunday Times, Bashir said he ‘never wanted to harm’ Diana, Princess of Wales, with the Panorama interview, adding: ‘I don’t believe we did.’ 

The Duke of Cambridge ignored a question about Martin Bashir ‘s apology over the Panorama interview with his mother as he continued his visit to Scotland on Sunday

Addressing the princesses’ sons Princes William and Harry – both of whom issued statements blasting the deceit and the BBC’s cover up – Bashir said he is ‘deeply sorry’. 

He said he ‘can’t imagine what their family must feel each day, although I know a little of that myself having lost a brother and father prematurely’. 

But the journalist disputed the Duke of Cambridge’s charge that he fuelled Diana’s isolation and paranoia, saying: ‘Even in the early 1990s, there were stories and secretly recorded phone calls. 

‘I wasn’t the source of any of that.’ 

He also denied responsibility for his death, saying: ‘I don’t feel I can be held responsible for many of the other things that were going on in her life, and complex issues surrounding those decisions.

As he left the venue, he was asked by a reporter whether he had seen Martin Bashir’s apology over the 1995 interview with his mother but did not respond

But speaking on Thursday, Prince William hit out at Bashir, who he labelled a ‘rogue reporter’, and said the interview was at leats partially to blame for the worsening of his mother’s relationship to Prince Charles.

‘It is my view that the deceitful way the interview was obtained substantially influenced what my mother said. 

‘The interview was a major contribution to making my parents’ relationship worse and has since hurt countless others. 

‘She was failed not just by a rogue reporter, but by leaders at the BBC who looked the other way rather than asking the tough questions.’ 

The Duke was trying his hand at woodworking as he visited the Grassmarket Community Project – which provides sanctuary and support for vulnerable people through community innovation and social enterprise – in Edinburgh

It came as William visited the Grassmarket Community Project’s workshop, which makes furniture from recycled pews and other responsibly-resourced wood.

The project was developed in partnership between Greyfriars Kirk (Church of Scotland) and Grassmarket Mission in 1982 and became a standalone charity in 2010. 

He met chief executive Jonny Kinross and Richard Frazer, founder and Greyfriars Kirk minister.

He heard how the project works with people who are dealing with a wide range of complex issues including mental and physical health problems, disabilities, learning difficulties, poverty, substance misuse, abuse and social isolation.

William began a week-long visit to Scotland on Friday and the Duchess of Cambridge will join him on Monday for the rest of the tour.