Princess Diana Admitted a Private 'Regret' Concerning Her Sons Shortly Before Her Death

In the final stretch of her life, Princess Diana carried a quiet truth that only a trusted friend ever heard, a revelation that shed light on the private worries she held as a mother navigating intense public scrutiny.

Ten days before her life ended, Princess Diana revealed a painful confession to a close friend. It was a quiet regret that had stayed with her ever since she sat for one of the most defining interviews of her life.

In August 1997, Diana traveled to Greece with her longtime friend Rosa Monckton. It was a peaceful summer holiday and would become their final trip together.

During one of their conversations, the topic shifted to the 1995 Panorama interview. The broadcast had shocked viewers around the world, and nearly two years later Diana was still thinking about its impact.

According to Monckton, Diana expressed sorrow over how the interview might have affected Prince William and Prince Harry, who were teenagers at the time.

"She told me she regretted doing it because of the harm she thought it had done to her boys," Monckton shared in a recent People cover story.

The remark revealed something deeply personal about Diana in her final days. Her regret was not about speaking openly regarding her marriage, her struggles, or the pressures she faced.

What weighed on her was the possibility that William, then 15, and Harry, then 12, had been hurt by seeing their mother so exposed on television.

A Broadcast That Captivated the World

When the Panorama interview aired on November 20, 1995, it became one of the most talked about moments in modern royal history. In her conversation with journalist Martin Bashir, Diana spoke candidly about infidelity in her marriage, her struggle with bulimia, and the emotional turmoil she experienced as a member of the royal family.

The interview changed the public's understanding of the monarchy and increased the already intense global attention on Diana. It also influenced the course of her divorce from then Prince Charles. But the interview came with lasting consequences, especially for her young sons.

Years later, the origins of the interview were brought back into public focus. A formal inquiry conducted in 2021 and led by Lord Dyson found that Bashir had used deception, including forged documents, to gain Diana's trust. The inquiry also revealed that BBC leadership failed to stop the unethical behavior and later tried to hide what had happened.

Bashir persuaded Diana that the interview was necessary for her safety and encouraged fears that were later proven false. According to Monckton, he made alarming claims, including that Prince Charles wanted her killed and that Prince William's watch had been turned into a spying device. These manipulative tactics, Monckton said, left Diana feeling isolated and unsure of whom to trust.

"She was frail and that made her susceptible to Bashir," Monckton explained. "He'd told her she couldn't talk about it. She cut people out because of that."

By the time Diana traveled to Greece with Monckton in August 1997, she still had not been told the truth. She did not know about the forged bank statements or the full extent of the manipulation that influenced her decision to take part in the interview. What she did understand was how much the aftermath weighed on her sons, and that was the regret she carried with her.

Her Influence Lives on

Despite her passing in 1997, those who worked closely with Diana believe that her guidance continues to shape the lives of her sons. Patrick Jephson, her former private secretary, spoke with People about the lessons she left behind.

"If they study Princess Diana's life carefully, and I hope they often do, William, Harry and their advisers will know that she left them many good examples to follow and also a few important warnings to heed," Jephson said. "Public affection and the rich rewards of royalty must be earned with self-sacrifice and service."

He added that Diana remains a source of inspiration for her sons. "I'm sure they are grateful that every day she can still guide, comfort and inspire them along the difficult path they were born to follow."

Diana's quiet admission to Monckton was not about regret over her own reputation or the global reaction to her interview. It was about William and Harry. She worried that her attempt to tell her story may have caused pain for the two people she loved most.

In her final days, Princess Diana was still thinking like the devoted mother she had always been. Her concern for her sons outweighed every public controversy and every personal struggle. And in that private moment in Greece, she allowed a close friend to see just how deeply she felt it.