If one accepts that chasing motorcycle ‘paparazzi’ were a major contributor to the accident that resulted in the death of Princess Diana 20 years ago, Channel 4 are behaving no better 20 years on.

The term ‘gutter press’ used to apply to certain Fleet Street publications, but is now equally applicable to broadcast media now.

All of us have said things in private we would not want broadcast either now or years after our death. This is not ‘public interest’ that is being served by the broadcast of excerpts from these tapes. Most of us have a pretty good idea how grim things were in the marriage between Prince Charles and Lady Diana. We do not need private utterances to be publicly aired. Diana herself would be appalled that simple camcord recordings would later be broadcast to the whole nation. Did she give permission for this? No, of course not.

The Duke of Cambridge and his brother have given a good account of their position in recent years. They do not deserve in the slightest that such dirty laundry concerning their parents be aired now.

Channel 4 say that their motivation is the public record. It is not! Their motivation is financial profit, pure and simple.

My heart goes out to the two princes – they have done nothing to deserve this.