BBC ‘offers significant payout’ to William and Harry’s former babysitter Tiggy Legge-Bourke for fake smears made by former rogue Panorama reporter Martin Bashir
- A Supreme Court list describes the BBC as a defendant and Pettifer as a complainant
- Pettifer is Miss Legge-Bourke’s married name and her real name is Alexandra
- This comes after the BBC apologized and had to pay for the slander of its own journalist
The former caretaker of Prince William and Prince Harry is apparently close to agreeing to a settlement with the BBC because he was smeared by former rogue reporter Martin Bashir.
It is suspected that she was offered a substantial payout due to false allegations made by the journalist, which were used as part of his efforts to secure his 1995 interview with Princess Diana.
A Supreme Court list has emerged over a case describing the BBC as the defendant and Alexandra Pettifer as the complainant.
Pettifer is Miss Legge-Bourke’s married name and her real first name is Alexandra.
The type of case is described as ‘Media and Communication – Part 8 Claim – Permission to read statement in open court’.
The former caretaker of Prince William and Prince Harry is apparently close to agreeing to a settlement with the BBC because he was smeared by former rogue reporter Martin Bashir
It is suspected that she was offered a substantial payout due to false allegations made by the journalist, which were used as part of his efforts to secure his 1995 interview with Princess Diana
The information is believed to be related to the conclusion of a settlement agreement between the BBC and the former royal babysitter over the insults Bashir made about her in an attempt to get his infamous Panorama interview with Diana.
It comes just days after the BBC was forced to issue an apology and a payout for the slander of one of its own journalists who tried to expose Bashir’s tactics.
Former senior reporter and producer Mark Killick said the broadcaster had launched a smear campaign against him after expressing concern.
It agreed to pay ‘a substantial amount of damages and costs’, which would presumably be in the region of £ 50,000.
There was previously speculation that the BBC had offered a six-figure settlement to Miss Legge-Bourke.
One of the false allegations that according to Mr. Bashir was peddled was that he told Diana that Prince Charles was ‘in love’ with Miss Legge-Bourke and that they were planning a holiday together.
A Supreme Court list has emerged over a case describing the BBC as the defendant and Alexandra Pettifer as the complainant
It was also alleged that he showed her a fake receipt for an abortion for the royal babysitter.
It is said that Diana became convinced that the babysitter had become pregnant by Charles.
She apparently confronted Miss Legge-Bourke at a Christmas party and remarked sourly: “So sorry to hear about the baby.”
Insiders believe that the extent of Bashir’s objections to Miss Legge-Bourke was so great that she could be put on a financial settlement in line with that received by graphic artist Matt Wiessler.
Mr Wiessler, who was blacklisted after expressing concern over Bashir’s behavior at the 1995 interview, is thought to be receiving £ 500,000 as part of his deal with the BBC.
Among the false allegations made by Mr. Bashir was told was that he had told Diana that Prince Charles was ‘in love’ with Miss Legge-Bourke and that they were planning a holiday together.
The artist was asked by Bashir to mock fake bank statements.
Earlier this year, the BBC paid Diana’s former private secretary Patrick Jephson £ 100,000.
Bashir is said to have used fake bank statements which apparently show he received payments from the intelligence services.
The BBC also reportedly paid more than £ 1.5 million to a charity chosen by the royal family following the failure of a report by Lord Dyson on the scandal.
Last night, a BBC spokesperson refused to comment on any settlement, as did Miss Legge-Bourke.
Yesterday, the corporation published a new whistleblowing policy, developed following the Dyson report. It offers staff an independent, free and confidential telephone service that they can call to raise concerns.