Divorce

Journalist Martin Bashir interviewed Diana for the BBC current affairs show Panorama. The interview was broadcast
on 20 November 1995.[75] In reference to her relationship with Hewitt, the Princess said to Bashir, "Yes, I adored him.
Yes, I was in love with him. But I was very let down [by him]." Referring to her husband's affair with Camilla Parker
Bowles, she said, "Well, there were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded." Of herself, she said, "I'd like
to be a queen of people's hearts." On the Prince's suitability for kingship, she stated, "Because I know the character I
would think that the top job, as I call it, would bring enormous limitations to him, and I don't know whether he could
adapt to that."[75]
On 20 December 1995, Buckingham Palace publicly announced that the Queen had sent letters to the Prince and
Princess of Wales, advising them to divorce.[78][79] The Queen's move was backed by the Prime Minister and by
senior Privy Counsellors, and, according to the BBC, was decided after two weeks of talks.[80] Prince Charles formally
agreed to the divorce in a written statement soon after.[78] In February 1996, the Princess announced her agreement
after negotiations with the Prince and representatives of the Queen,[81]irritating Buckingham Palace by issuing her own
announcement of the divorce agreement and its terms. In July 1996, the couple agreed on the terms of their
divorce.[82]
This followed shortly after the Princess's accusation that the Prince's personal assistant Tiggy Legge-Bourke had
aborted the Prince's child, after which Legge-Bourke instructed Peter Carter-Ruck to demand an apology.[83][84] Diana's
secretary Patrick Jephson resigned shortly before the story broke, later writing that the Princess had "exulted in
accusing Legge-Bourke of having had an abortion".[85][86]

Diana (far left) with Muhammad Iqbal Gujjar and Jemima Khan in Pakistan in 1996

The divorce was finalised on 28 August 1996.[70] Diana received a lump sum settlement of 17 million as well as
400,000 per year. The couple signed a confidentiality agreement that prohibited them from discussing the details of
the divorce or of their married life.[87][82]
Days before the decree absolute of divorce, letters patent were issued with general rules to regulate royal titles after
divorce. Diana lost the style Her Royal Highness because she was no longer married to the Prince of Wales and
instead was styled Diana, Princess of Wales.[a] The Queen reportedly wanted to let Diana continue to use the style
after her divorce, but Charles had insisted on removing it.[82] As the mother of the prince expected to one day ascend
to the throne, she was accorded the same precedence she enjoyed during her marriage.[89] Prince William was
reported to have reassured his mother: "Don't worry, Mummy, I will give it back to you one day when I am
King."[90][91] Almost a year before, according to Tina Brown, the Duke of Edinburgh had warned the Princess of Wales:
"If you don't behave, my girl, we'll take your title away." She is said to have replied: "My title is a lot older than yours,
Philip."[92] Diana and her mother quarrelled in May 1997 after she told Hello! magazine that Diana was happy to lose
her title of Her Royal Highness following her controversial divorce from Prince Charles. They were reportedly not on
speaking terms with each other by the time of Diana's death.[93]
Buckingham Palace stated that the Princess of Wales was still a member of the Royal Family, because she was the
mother of the second and third in line to the throne.[89] This was confirmed by the Deputy Coroner of the Queen's
Household, Baroness Butler-Sloss, after a pre-hearing on 8 January 2007: "I am satisfied that at her death, Diana,
Princess of Wales continued to be considered as a member of the Royal Household." [94] This appears to have been
confirmed in the High Court judicial review matter of Al Fayed & Ors v Butler-Sloss.[95] In that case, three High Court
judges accepted submissions that "the very name 'Coroner to the Queen's Household' gave the appearance of
partiality in the context of inquests into the deaths of two people, one of whom was a member of the Royal Family
and the other was not."