Stephen Davies, former chauffeur to Diana, Princess of Wales, has settled a slander case against the BBC. The settlement follows false allegations made nearly 30 years ago that he leaked confidential information to secure a 1995 Panorama interview with the princess. Davies was dismissed from his role in March 1996 without explanation, shortly after the claims were made by journalist Martin Bashir.
An investigation in 2021 uncovered a document recording a meeting between Bashir, Diana, and Earl Spencer, wherein Bashir falsely stated that Davies was feeding information to the Today newspaper. A 2021 inquiry led by Lord Dyson found Bashir had engaged in deceitful behavior, including fabricating bank statements to win Diana's trust. Bashir's actions contributed to Davies's dismissal and have recently been highlighted in the Netflix series "The Crown."
In the High Court, the BBC apologized for the distress caused to Davies and acknowledged the allegations were baseless. The corporation agreed to pay compensation and legal costs to Davies. The settlement was confirmed on May 14, 2024.