Princes' letter to C4: Full text

Prince William and Prince Harry's private secretary has written to Channel 4 to ask it not to broadcast photographs of the crash that killed Princess Diana.

Here in full is Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton's letter, sent on 1 June, to Hamish Mykura, head of history, science and religion at Channel 4.

Thank you for allowing Paddy Harverson and me to view at your offices yesterday evening your programme about the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, which you intend to broadcast on 6th June.

Given that you were unwilling to release a copy for Prince William and Prince Harry to view personally, I verbally briefed the princes on the content of the programme last night immediately after the viewing.

They will cause the princes acute distress if they are shown to a public audience, not just for themselves, but also on their mother's behalf C4 letter to princes C4 rebuffs photos plea

Their Royal Highnesses have asked me to communicate to you in the strongest terms possible that their position remains unchanged from that clearly articulated by them in July 2006, on the occasion of the Italian magazine, Chi, publishing a photograph of the scene surrounding their mother's dying moments.

To remind you of what they said then: 'Following this week's publication in an Italian magazine of material relating directly to the death of our mother, we feel deeply saddened that such a low has been reached.

'Despite the support shown to us and our mother's memory by so many people over the last eight years, we feel that, as her sons, we would be failing in our duty to her now if we did not protect her - as she once did us.

'Therefore we appeal to all forms of media throughout the world to appreciate fully that publishing such material causes great hurt to us, our father, our mother's family and all those who so loved and respected her.'

I explained to the princes the central focus of the programme and its themes, and, in particular, the part played by the paparazzi in the tragedy.

'Redolent with tragedy'

I do have to say, though, that this latter issue has already clearly been addressed in the findings of both the French Police investigation and the Stevens Report - and is, therefore, of debatable fresh 'public interest'.

Even the graphic descriptions by Mr Lennox and the adviser to the French Interior Ministry of the facial wounds of the dying princess are not something that we feel we can challenge - although obviously they are extremely distressing for the princes to have to hear and see broadcast to a public audience.

But the pictures are another matter. I must ask you not to broadcast those photographs that depict the crashed car whilst the princes' mother lies dying in its wreckage.

Also, I ask on the princes' behalf that the shot of the ambulance, with a medic clearly administering emergency treatment to the unseen figure of the princess, not be broadcast.

These photographs, regardless of the fact that they do not actually show the princess's features, are redolent with the atmosphere and tragedy of the closing moments of her life.

'Intrusion'

As such, they will cause the princes acute distress if they are shown to a public audience, not just for themselves, but also on their mother's behalf, in the sense of intruding upon the privacy and dignity of her last minutes.

As they said in their statement last year, '... we feel that, as her sons, we would be failing in our duty to her now if we did not protect her - as she once did us'.

Put simply, if it were your or my mother dying in that tunnel would we want the scene broadcast to the nation? Indeed, would the nation so want it?

I must, therefore, ask you to give this matter your immediate attention, and have your written response to my specific requests by no later than nine o'clock on Monday morning, 4th June.