Inconsistency in the The Mirror's purported quotations of the letter Burrell says was written by Princess Diana
Stephen Hewitt, 8 January 2004
In an article dated 20 October 2003, Jane Kerr wrote in the British tabloid "Mirror":
The princess predicted: “This particular phase in my life is the most dangerous.” She said “XXXXXXXXXXX is planning ‘an accident’ in my car, brake failure and serious head injury in order to make the path clear for Charles to marry“.
- at http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/content_objectid=13533662_method=full_siteid=50143_headline=-DIANA%2DLETTER%2DSENSATION%2D%2D%2DTHEY%2DWILL%2DTRY%2DTO%2DKILL%2DME%2D-name_page.html
Today Jane Kerr writes on page 4 of the Mirror:
The Mirror has exclusively revealed that Diana wrote a note in which she said: "My husband is planning 'an accident' in my car, brake failure & serious head injury in order to make the path clear for him to marry."Daily Mirror, 8 January 2004, page 4
This is also on the Mirror website at http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/allnews/page.cfm?objectid=13791657&method=full
It was clear from the purported quotation in the October article that whoever, or whatever organisation*, was represented by "XXXXXXXXXXX" it couldn't very well be Charles, unless the writer was using English in a very unusual and unnatural way. But in the purported quotation in today's article the word "Charles" in the phrase "to make the path clear for Charles" has mysteriously changed to "him".
The Guardian quotes the Daily Mirror on the 20 October 2003
The question is, was the Mirror misleading its readers in the article dated 20 October 2003? Is it misleading its readers now? Or both?
Unfortunately for Mirror readers, the answer to at least one of those questions must be yes.
Footnotes
*This possibility is included because I saw Burrell in a television interview in response to an explicit question, make it clear that the "XXXXXXXXXXX" part of the letter might represent an organisation. The programme was "Richard and Judy", broadcast Monday 27 October 2003, Channel 4
Related
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- Private Eye on “doctoring” of Iraq crowd photo in London Evening Standard of 9 April 2003 Private Eye, 8-21 August 2003, page 4
- Michael Mansfield QC talked in tribute to Michael Seifert 16 November 2017, Store Street, London
External links
- Guardian article: Diana 'told of plot to kill her' Simon Jeffery, Guardian, 20 Oct 2003