The controversial footage will be shown in a documentary to mark the twentieth anniversary of her death. Photo / Getty
The controversial footage will be shown in a documentary to mark the twentieth anniversary of her death. Photo / Getty
Friends of the late Princess Diana have blasted the decision to air private tapes of her speaking about her sex life and marriage as "exploitative" and "grubby blood money".
The UK's Channel Four will air "dynamite" unseen footage of the Princess talking with her speech coach, Peter Settelen, about her marriage and public life.
Friend Rosa Monckton lashed out at Channel 4 bosses after they refused a plea from Diana's brother, Charles to stop the footage being shown.
"It's completely inappropriate. How intrusive is this? It doesn't matter that it was 20-odd years ago," she told The Sun. "Think of the hurt they are causing to her family, to her sons."
Former Queen spokesman Dickie Arbiter called selling private tapes "grubby blood money and tawdry."
"The tapes were private. It doesn't matter if the princess is alive or dead, private should mean private," he said. "It's obvious Mr Settelen is making them public for whatever gains he is going to make out of it.
Royal author Ingrid Seward told the paper she thought Diana's legacy was being "exploited."
"I think it's remarkable any TV station would stoop that low. It really is lowest common denominator TV."
The controversial footage will be shown in a documentary to mark the twentieth anniversary of her death. Channel 4 executives have defended their decision, saying the content is a matter of the public record.
Deputy Chief Creative Officer Ralph Lee said the tapes are an important contribution to the "historical record".
"For British viewers to be able to see a candid, relaxed, informal Diana talking about her life and revealing her personal perspective on events that are now familiar to us is remarkable," he said.
Diana seen in St Tropez in the summer of 1997, shortly before she was killed. Photo / Getty
"Given that the only filmed interview that we've ever seen with her is the Martin Bashir Panorama interview this is a really unique historical archive."
"I think a lot of viewers will feel for the first time that they are really seeing a natural, relaxed and personal Diana.
The tapes were recorded by Mr Settelen in 1992 when he was working as Diana's speech coach to help her prepare for speaking in public.
They show the late Princess rehearsing her speaking voice and revealing stunning admissions about her marriage and public life which paved the way for her famous Panorama interview with Martin Bashir in 1995.
She can be seen describing her wedding day as "the worst day of her life" and the constant battle to live up to her "fairy princess" public image.
She also suggests one of her bodyguards was "bumped off" in a road accident and describes her "very odd" relationship with Charles. On their sex life, she revealed: "there was never a requirement for it from him."
"Once every three weeks about and I kept thinking it followed a pattern."
