After Prince Charles and Princess Diana separated, Charles “hired” Tiggy Legge-Bourke to be Prince William and Harry’s nanny and friend when Charles had the boys. Tiggy was quickly a tabloid favorite because she mouthed off about what she thought of Diana-as-a-mother, and because Charles seemed especially fond of the bouncy, attractive young woman. Diana hated Tiggy on sight. So did Camilla. Both Camilla and Diana knew that there were many people within the institution who thought Tiggy was a much more suitable “second wife” for the Prince of Wales. There were rumors of an affair between Charles and Tiggy, rumors which came to a head one day in 1995. That was when Diana went up to Tiggy at an event, and in front of witnesses, said something like “so sorry to hear about the baby.” As in, Diana believed Charles had gotten Tiggy pregnant and Tiggy had an abortion as Charles’s behest.
There was always a question mark about who started that rumor and why Diana said that specifically to Tiggy (who actually sued Diana for slandering her). Well, over the past few years, the British tabloids have settled on Martin Bashir, who conducted Diana’s infamous Panorama interview. We know Bashir told Diana a lot of sh-t to convince her to do the interview, and now the BBC is paying Tiggy a substantial settlement to deal with this long-running controversy.
The BBC has agreed to pay “substantial damages” to William and Harry’s former nanny over “false and malicious” allegations used to obtain Martin Bashir’s 1995 Panorama interview with Diana, Princess of Wales.
Alexandra Pettifer, better known as Tiggy Legge-Bourke, appeared at the High Court in London for a public apology from the broadcaster over “fabricated” allegations she had had an affair with the Prince of Wales while working as Charles’ personal assistant in 1995. Her solicitor Louise Prince told the court that the allegations caused “serious personal consequences for all concerned”. As well as the allegation of the affair, the court was told Ms Legge-Bourke was falsely accused of becoming pregnant with Charles’ baby and having an abortion.
Ms Prince said Ms Legge-Bourke had not known the source of the allegations over the last 25 years, but that it was now likely the “false and malicious allegations arose as a result and in the context of BBC Panorama’s efforts to procure an exclusive interview with Diana, Princess of Wales”.
The court was told the Dyson Investigation, commissioned by the broadcaster, had “shed some light” on how the interview had been secured. The solicitor said the “totally unfounded” allegations “appeared to exploit some prior false speculation in the media” about Ms Legge-Bourke and Charles.
“After Diana, Princess of Wales, became aware of the allegations in late 1995, she became upset with the claimant without apparent justification,” she added. Ms Prince said Ms Legge-Bourke “holds the BBC liable for the serious impact the false and malicious allegations have had”.
She added: “Had the BBC not fallen short, the claimant and her family could have been spared 25 years of lies, suspicion and upset.”
The historical revisionism JUMPS out. “She became upset with the claimant without apparent justification…” Diana was f–king pissed that Tiggy was undercutting Diana as a mother in the press. Diana was f–king pissed that her sons could do whatever they wanted when they were with “fun” Tiggy. There were literally photos of Charles affectionately embracing and kissing Tiggy. There was literally a palace scheme to install Tiggy as the second Princess of Wales. Let’s not pretend that Martin Bashir made up a rumor, told it to Diana and Diana was solely mad about that one thing. But sure, maybe Bashir was the source of the specific abortion rumor and if so, then I’m fine with the BBC paying a settlement. But let’s not completely rewrite all of this torrid history.
Photos courtesy of Getty, Avalon Red.
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- OLD BAILEY PIC SHOWS ROYAL NANNY TIGGY LE BURKE LEAVING THE LAUNCH OF THE NEW RALPH LAUREN STORE IN NEW BOND STREET LONDON, TONIGHT 5/5/99 Ref: B25_126831_32866 Date: COMPULSORY CREDIT: UPPA/Photoshot,Image: 501964395, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries call Photoshot London + 44 (0)20 7421 6000 New York Office Tel : + 1 646-429-8731 Hamburg Office Tel +49 40 28 78030, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- OLD BAILEY PIC SHOWS ROYAL NANNY TIGGY LE BURKE LEAVING THE LAUNCH OF THE NEW RALPH LAUREN STORE IN NEW BOND STREET LONDON, TONIGHT 5/5/99 Ref: B25_126831_33026 Date: COMPULSORY CREDIT: UPPA/Photoshot,Image: 501965757, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries call Photoshot London + 44 (0)20 7421 6000 New York Office Tel : + 1 646-429-8731 Hamburg Office Tel +49 40 28 78030, Model Release: no, Credit line: – / Avalon
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- TIGGY LEGGE-BOURKE Friend of HRH Prince of Wales COMPULSORY CREDIT: UPPA/Photoshot Photo UIW 010994/B-21a 07.02.1996,Image: 502658304, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: World Rights – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries call Photoshot Global HQ – London + 44 (0)20 7421 6000 , also New York Office Tel : + 1 646-429-8731 and Hamburg Office Tel +49 (0)40 530 240 5959, Model Release: no, Credit line: Photoshot / Avalon
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- PRINCE HARRY TALKS TO HIS FORMER NANNY TIGGY PETIFER AS HE TAKES PART IN HIS PASSING-OUT SOVEREIGN’S PARADE AT SANDHURST MILITARY ACADEMY IN BERKSHIRE. 12 APRIL 2006. PICTURE /,Image: 542499229, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Anwar Hussein / Avalon
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- HRH PRINCE WILLIAM TODAY ATTENDED THE WEDDING OF HIS FRIEND HUGH VAN CUTSEM AT ST JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH, BURFORD, OXFORDSHIRE, ENGLAND. ALSO ATTENDING WERE HIS FORMER NANNY TIGGY LEGGE-BOURKE HIS CURRENT ‘GIRLFRIEND’ KATE MIDDLETON AND JESSICA ‘JECCA’ CRAIG WHO HAS, FOR A LONG TIME HAD A SLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PRINCE. PICS: 4 JUNE 2005,Image: 544728871, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: WORLD RIGHTS – Fee Payable Upon Reproduction – For queries contact Photoshot – sales@photoshot.com London: +44 (0) 20 7421 6000 Florida: +1 239 689 1883 Berlin: +49 (0) 30 76 212 251, Model Release: no, Credit line: Geoff Swaine / Avalon
So there are no current pics of her?..Anyone know why she actually changed her name to Tiggy Legge-Bourke!?
I’m guessing Tiggy is just a nickname, but Legge-Bourke was her maiden name.
She attends royal events from time to time and I think is still friends with Charles.
Yeah could be these aristos always have these quirky names that would be called silly outside of their circle eg. Pipa,Poppy, Skippy,Lottie
She would smoke in front of the boys Charles if he had any sense would have put a stop to tiggy putting down Diana as a mother
Chuck encouraged it. Tiggy saying it made it not a bitter ex-husband being snarky. There are pictures of her and Chuck kissing.
Did she change her name? In the article she’s introduced as Alexandra. I bet Tiggy’s one of those weird public school nicknames that you have to be a landed aristocrat to understand the whole story behind it though
I think “Tiggy Legge-Bourke!” is her maiden name. IIRC, “Tiggy” was a childhood nickname that stuck throughout her life.
Tiggy has always been her nickname – her actual name as is Alexandra.
She set up her own nursery called Mrs Tiggywinkles….after the Beatrix potter character.
Yeah, people repeat this story without mentioning that Diana was gaslit into believing it could be true from many sides.
The main point is Diana wasn’t tricked into giving the interview which is what is being pushed by the press and the Royal Family. If it wasn’t Bashir it would have been somebody else because a number of journalists including Nicholas Witchell were trying to get that interview.
There was also media gossip about Charles and tiggy early on and photos of hugs and kisses between Charles and tiggy which imo was inappropriate
Agree @Amy Bee. The royal media machine wants to people to forget that.
A good New Yorker article done last May after the Dyson investigation. In it, the writer shares Diana’s notes to the BBC & Bashir about not having any regrets and that 6 minutes after the interview, Nicholas Soames, Charles’ good friend, contacted the BBC to tell them he believed Diana was in the advanced stages of paranoia. Yep, calls from the palaces were made to Soames prior.
https://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/the-power-and-paranoia-of-the-diana-interview
It also will always be suspicious to me that Charles Spencer sold this story to the Fail in November 2020, that for reasons, led to the new investigation. Don’t believe he did it out of a guilty conscience either.
And let’s not forget what Tiggy said about Diana: “I give them what they need at this stage, fresh air, a rifle and a horse. She gives them a tennis racket and a bucket of popcorn at the movies.” And she called William and Harry her children basically, despite endangering them with different activities and smoking heavily around them.
And Charles did not stop her from deriding Diana which speaks volumes
She might have delusionally thought that made her look good but it makes her look nothing like any sort of effective nanny or parental figure.
Absolutely. Team Diana, as always.
I reread this several times because I’m confused why one is better than other either way! Apart from rifle, horse riding, play outside, tennis, movies – all fun things for kids?
I think its because the horse riding, etc., are considered more “appropriate” outdoor pursuits for the royals and aristos, while tennis and movies are what Diana liked to do (and were therefore considered bad). I seem to recall that Diana didn’t exactly like the typical country pursuits and preferred London, but someone please correct me.
Very funny when Kate doesn’t ride and likes tennis.
And none of those things were Tiggys to give. They belonged to Charles.
Only a British aristocrat would think this sounded better!! WTF is wrong with tennis and movies?? Nothing, those are NORMAL, healthy things to do! A gun in a child’s hands on the other hand…
Any parent who hires someone who will publicly slag off their co-parent is a shitty parent!
God these people are just awful in every sense.
So they’re okay with making amends to a woman regarding incidents that happened decades ago. Sounds about White.
Bingo!
About white!!!! 🤣 truer words have never been spoken…….
So what about those NDA’s? They were fluid back then also, I guess. Certain employees are allowed to run their mouth off to the press without being an anonymous “source”.
Right now we’re seeing history being rewritten in front of our own eyes. Way before Diana’s death, the media tore her apart everyday. They accused to her to banishing Charles’ friends, banning him from shooting, abusing him, spending all his money on clothes, forcing him to eat “poached eggs and spinach”, bullying his staff. All the things they’ve accused Meghan of doing. She did the panorama interview in response to the years of briefings, leaks, and smears orchestrated by Charles to present her as crazy and paranoid. That interview changed the outlook of the RF. Now more than two decades later, the firm with the agreement of her egghead son are trying to rewrite her own experiences and words. Diana did not lie in that interview, all the things she told Andrew Morton in those tapes were confirmed in the interview. I have a feeling that in a decade or two, if they get rid of Meghan, they will continue to rewrite Meghan’s experiences. They will say Meghan/Oprah manipulated poor Harry into giving the interview, Harry didn’t mean to say someone was racist towards his son. WHAT SON? The son never existed they’ll say. Harry never meant to expose the contract between the royals and the media. The interview was all a farce. Harry will remarry the english rose they always wanted, father legitimate children with her, and all will be well in the firm. This is what they want. This is why I’m glad Harry has said time & time again he doesn’t regret anything. And writing this memoir is so that if anything unfortunate happens to him or Meghan, they won’t be able to rewrite history!
Oh, I’m 99.9 % sure they have more than Harry’s memoir locked and loaded if anything ever happens to either one of them.
The Harvey the Dog story still circulates in some articles I read. Diana was accused of telling Charles to get rid of Harvey (this in the leaks by Charles’ friends). It was debunked because Harvey was very old an incontinent and could not be kept in the house. He was placed in a Kennel (a royal kennel) where he got the best treatment and CHarles had full access to him. And in the articles about Camilla’s birthday there are “digs” at Diana. This is how they operate.
Amazing how history repeats with the same royal lies. The falsifying is a full time job for courtiers.
I believe Ms. Tiggy Legge- Bourke has the most British name that ever Britished . That’s all I got.
Twiggy put out a statement saying among other things that she was upset by the distress the interview caused the Royal Family. Charles Spencer and the Royal Family are trying to rewrite history.
Rewriting history is what the victors do. Those of us whose “recollections may vary” can speak amongst ourselves. But our version won’t be one for the books. Sad but true.
Then it’s a good thing that Harry & Meghan are the clear victors………
This, thank you, Annalise.
One year (actually more than one yearearlier than the Bashir interview ) Prince Charles publicly confirmed the affair with Camilla. So Diana saying three in the marriage was accurate. THe media seems to want to sweep Charles interview under a rug.
Yes Charles Spencer has decided to throw his dead sister under the bus again, to ingratiate his family into the RF again. That was Diana’s only value to the Spencer family in the girls place, and she failed. I bet Tiggy did shag Charles. Maybe the abortion bit may not be true but I don’t know why uts do unbelievable that a man who rotated his mistresses when they were pregnant by their husbands wouldn’t have shagged the nanny.
I mean, she WAS sleeping with him, so are we actually sure there wasn’t a pregnancy?
I think getting to the truth is not the point in this case, just a white-washing job.
Despite all the nonsense she said about his mother, pretty sure Harry is still close to her. She was at his wedding, he’s the Godfather of one of her kids, and I did read that she’s supposedly one of Archie’s godparents.
She is Archie’s Godmother
Unfortunately it seems to me that Harry is in a situation where he has to live and let live with some people depending on the circumstances, because if he were to cut off every family member and close friend who ever did him wrong, he’d be left with absolutely no one but Meghan and Doria basically. He really grew up in a viper’s nest.
Search Tiggy & Mark Dyer on the internet and you’ll see why Harry is still close to Tiggy. Mark Dyer is Harry’s “second father” and is godfather to Archie. I think Tiggy and Mark Dyer’s close relationship after Diana’s death is probs why Harry still interacts with her
Does it usually take 25 years to litigate a slander case in the UK? I’m not getting why this is just now coming to a settlement . This chick was inappropriate with Charles and the boys and Diana was right to question the need for a nanny when Charles had them. God, they were so evil to her, and still are 25 years after she’s passed!
Charles also behaved inappropriately. Camilla even called Tiggy the Hired Help and was instrumental in Tiggy being dismissed. Tiggy did not invite Camilla to her wedding (this after C and C were seen together as a couple) just Charles and William and Harry.
When I first saw Tiggy accompanying Charles and the boys, I had the thought this is a very spiteful thing for Charles to do and I think he wanted Diana to believe that they did not need her. Tiggy’s arrogance in criticizing their mother was apparently allowed by Charles.
Technically this is coming to light now because of the recent-ish “discoveries” of Bashir “tricking” Diana into that interview.
Personally, I think this is Twiggy-Leggy-Ridiculous-Posh-Name-Person sending Camz a reminder that she too used to get off with Chaz – you know, as a 75th Birthday dig at, er, present for, Camilla.
[Because honestly, now it’s freshly told for whole generations of people who didn’t know/forgot these story]
And because all three (Tiggy, Camilla, and yes, even Charles) come across as nasty, attention-seeking mean girls in these stories.
well this litigation has had the Streisand effect for me in that I was unaware of this trick Tiggy’s attempts to sabotage and alienate the boys from their mother and now I know what a frightful witch she is. Well done.
So sorry for your 25 years of “upset” paid off with a pile of 200,000 pounds of cash while the woman you attacked has had 25 years of … no life at all.
Go away, Tiggy
Tiggy never apologized for publicly criticizing Diana’s parenting too bad Charles Spencer did not speak up for his sister then
The pictures of Tiggy and Charles kissing are on the cheek not on the lips. That is a common way to greet friends. There are plenty of pictures of Charles kissing other women on the cheeks. Let’s not make more of those photographs than they are.