Princess Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, says he was ‘groomed’ by Martin Bashir to secure ‘deceitful’ interview

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Princess Diana’s brother, Earl Charles Spencer, is speaking out about the deceitful methods used by Martin Bashir to secure a bombshell interview with the late royal that’s still making headlines today.

Last week, the BBC announced they will pay a former royal nanny over Bashir’s "totally unfounded allegations" about her, which were used to score a televised sit-down with Diana in 1995. An official BBC inquiry revealed that Bashir, 59, manipulated Diana into believing that Alexandra Pettifer, formerly known as Tiggy Legge-Bourke, had an affair with Prince Charles. Bashir produced fake bank statements to support his claim.

The 9th Earl Spencer, 58, has called upon the police to continue investigating the matter. In an op-ed written for The Mail on Sunday, Spencer said Bashir manipulated him to get close to his sister.

"I felt that I was groomed… shown forged bank statements; I was told of underhand payments, of spying, and of appalling deception," said Spencer. "But, all along I was the one being deceived in order for Mr. Bashir to get to my late sister."

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Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, is urging police to continue its investigation. (David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images for Charles Sabine)

Spencer said that Diana was "extremely vulnerable" at the time as information shared with close friends was leaked to the press.

"She was understandably rattled by this," Spencer explained. "Looking back, I suspect she was a very early victim of ‘phone-hacking’ by unknown perpetrators, but nobody knew about this criminal practice in 1995, so she was accepting of the outrageous claims that dark forces were at work."

"The question I am repeatedly asked by concerned members of the public, furious at what my sister was put through, is why have the police not prosecuted those involved for what various senior lawyers have told me is clearly unlawful and criminal behavior?" Spencer continued. "I hope the police will reconsider their responsibilities in this matter. Only they have the power to get to the bottom of this terrible scandal, which led Diana to feel even more exposed and alone, and deceived her into forgoing those who cared for her and would have protected her."

Spencer noted that the lies told to Diana "led her to speaking in a way that set her on a course where she was without due protection when she needed it most."

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Martin Bashir interviews Princess Diana in Kensington Palace for the television program ‘Panorama.’ (Photo by Pool Photograph)

"All those responsible must be held to account," Spencer added.

The BBC apologized to Prince William and Prince Harry’s former nanny over "false and malicious" claims made against her as part of Bashir’s attempt to obtain an exclusive interview with Diana.

Pettifer appeared at London’s High Court for the public apology. Her lawyers told the court the allegations caused "serious personal consequences for all concerned."

BBC director-general Tim Davie said the corporation has agreed to pay "substantial damages" to Pettifer. The broadcaster had "failed to ask the tough questions" about how the Diana interview was obtained, he added.

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Alexandra Pettifer, formerly known as Tiggy Legge-Bourke, appeared at London’s High Court for a public apology from the broadcaster over false claims that she had an affair with Prince Charles while working as his personal assistant in 1995. (Photo by Mark Cuthbert)

"I would like to take this opportunity to apologize publicly to her, to The Prince of Wales, and to the Dukes of Cambridge and Sussex, for the way in which Princess Diana was deceived and the subsequent impact on all their lives," Davie said in a statement.

William and Harry have strongly criticized the BBC for its shortcomings after an investigation found that Bashir used deceitful means to secure the explosive Diana interview in 1995.

In the interview, a major scoop for Bashir, Diana famously said that "there were three of us in this marriage" — referring to Charles’ relationship with Camilla Parker-Bowles. Her candid account of her failing marriage with the Prince of Wales was watched by millions of people and sent shockwaves through the monarchy.

Pettifer’s lawyer, Louise Prince, said the former nanny hadn’t known the source of the allegations against her over the past 25 years. But it now appeared likely that the claims arose as part of the BBC’s efforts to procure the Diana interview, Prince said.

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Prince William (right) and Prince Harry have strongly criticized the BBC for its shortcomings after an investigation found that one of its journalists, Martin Bashir, used deceitful means to secure the explosive Diana interview in 1995. (Getty)

The false claims — including an allegation that Pettifer became pregnant with Charles’ baby and had an abortion — appeared to exploit prior false media speculation, the lawyer said.

She said Diana confronted Pettifer about the allegation in late 1995, and told a member of the royal household that she had a hospital letter proving the abortion happened.

"As the allegation of an abortion was totally false, any such letter could only have been fabricated," Prince said.

Davie said the broadcaster would never show the Diana interview again or license it to other broadcasters.

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On Aug. 31, 1997, Princess Diana died in a car accident in Paris while being chased by the paparazzi. She was 36. (Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Image)

Pettifer said after the hearing that she was disappointed legal action was needed.

The BBC has already paid damages to Diana’s former aide as well as a former BBC producer who was dismissed after he alerted editors to faked documents that Bashir used to gain access to Diana.

Bashir has since stepped down from his role as the BBC's editor of religion and issued a statement apologizing for his conduct. BBC's director of news and current affairs at the time, Tony Hall, has also stepped aside following the investigation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.