>>> TONIGHT, THE PRINCESS OF WALES APOLOGIZING FOR THE PHOTO THAT CAUSED A WORLDWIDE CONTROVERSY. PRINCESS KATE SPOTTED TODAY AFTER ACKNOWLEDGING SHE EDITED THIS FAMILY PHOTO. THE SIGNS OF MANIPULATION THAT LED MAJOR NEWS ORGANIZATIONS TO PULL THE IMAGE. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE FIRST OFFICIAL PHOTO SINCE KATE UNDERWENT MYSTERY SURGERY NEARLY TWO MONTHS AGO. NOW IT'S FUELING EVEN MORE QUESTIONS ABOUT HER HEALTH. >>> ALSO TONIGHT, THE TERRIFYING MOMENTS IN MID-AIR ABOARD AN INTERNATIONAL FLIGHT. THE PLANE EXPERIENCING A STRONG SHAKE. 50 PEOPLE INJURED. WHAT HAPPENED? >>> THE POWERFUL WINDS TURNING DEADLY IN THE NORTHEAST. MORE THAN 50 MILLION UNDER ALERTS. FLIGHT DELAYS AND TENS OF THOUSANDS WITHOUT POWER. >>> PRESIDENT BIDEN ATTACKING SOMETHING HIS LIKELY OPPONENT SAID ABOUT ENTITLEMENTS. WOULD FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP CUT SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE? >>> THE DELAY IN GETTING AID INTO GAZA. 200 TONS OF FOOD. WHAT'S HOLDING IT UP? IT COMES AS THE TENSIONS BETWEEN THE U.S. AND ISRAEL SPILL OUT INTO THE OPEN. OUR NBC NEWS EXCLUSIVE. CHARLES SPENCER, THE BROTHER OF PRINCESS DIANA, SPEAKING OUT ABOUT THE SEXUAL ABUSE HE SAYS HE SUFFERED AT AN ELITE BOARDING SCHOOL. >>> AND TWO FAMILIES. HOW ONE HELPED THE OTHER ACHIEVE THE AMERICAN DREAM. NOW THEY'RE PAYING IT BACK. >> Announcer: THIS IS NBC "NIGHTLY NEWS" WITH LESTER HOLT. >>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME. A SUSPICION THAT THERE WAS MORE OR MAYBE LESS THAN MEETS THE EYE IN A WIDELY CIRCULATED PHOTO OF BRITAIN'S PRINCESS KATE IS STIRRING BROAD SPECULATION TONIGHT ABOUT THE PRINCESS AND HER HEALTH NEARLY TWO MONTHS AFTER SHE WAS HOSPITALIZED FOR ABDOMINAL SURGERY. AT FIRST GLANCE THE PHOTO IS A PICTURE OF HAPPINESS, A BEAMING PRINCESS EMBRACING HER CHILDREN. THE IMAGE RELEASED BY KENSINGTON PALACE. BUT ON CLOSER EXAMINATION NEWS AGENCIES INCLUDING NBC NEWS IDENTIFIED SIGNS THE PHOTO MAY HAVE BEEN MANIPULATED. TONIGHT IN A STATEMENT THE PRINCESS ADMITTING SHE DOES OCCASIONALLY EXPERIMENT WITH EDITING AND OFFERED HER APOLOGIES. NEWS AGENCIES KILLED THE PHOTO, BUT SERIOUS QUESTIONS ABOUT THE PALACE'S CREDIBILITY ARE VERY MUCH ALIVE TONIGHT. MOLLY HUNTER HAS THE STORY FROM LONDON. >> Reporter: TONIGHT YET ANOTHER NEW PHOTO OF KATE, THE PRINCESS OF WALES. BUT THIS ONE SNAPPED BY A UK PHOTO AGENCY. HER FACE BARELY VISIBLE IN A CAR CK IN JANUARY, MEANT TO BE A SWEET GESTURE ON UK MOTHER'S DAY ALONG WITH A MESSAGE FROM KATE. "THANK YOU FOR YOUR KIND WISHES AND CONTINUED SUPPORT OVER THE LAST TWO MONTHS." >> THE TOP STORIES THIS HOUR. >> Reporter: BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT MADE THE HEADLINES. JUST HOURS AFTER POSTING IT, MULTIPLE NEWS AGENCIES RECALLED THE PHOTO AFTER CONCERNS OF POTENTIAL MANIPULATION. THE A.P. SAYS, "IT APPEARS THAT THE SOURCE HAD MANIPULATED THE IMAGE IN A WAY THAT DID NOT MEET A.P.'S PHOTO STANDARDS," ADDING "THE PHOTO SHOWS AN INCONSISTENCY IN THE ALIGNMENT OF PRINCESS CHARLOTTE'S LEFT HAND," SEEN RIGHT HERE. AND THE EDGE OF CHARLOTTE'S HAIR APPEARS TO BLUR UNNATURALLY. AND YOU CAN SEE THE CORNER OF HER SKIRT APPEARS ODDLY STRAIGHT. KATE'S HAIR AND ZIPPER APPEAR MISALIGNED. AND THE EDGES OF THESE TILES APPEAR REPEATED. >> THE PRIMARY REASON FOR RELEASING THIS PHOTOGRAPH WAS FOR KATE AND WILLIAM TO SAY NOTHING TO SEE, PEOPLE CAN STOP WORRYING. IN FACT, IT HAD THE OPPOSITE EFFECT. IT'S MADE PEOPLE MORE CONCERNED THAN THEY WERE BEFORE AND MORE SUSPICIOUS. >> Reporter: AND THEN THIS MORNING THE PALACE APOLOGY WITH A CONFUSING EXPLANATION. SIGNED C FOR CATHERINE THE PRINCESS WROTE, "LIKE MANY AMATEUR PHOTOGRAPHERS I DO OCCASIONALLY EXPERIMENT WITH EDITING. I WANTED TO EXPRESS MY APOLOGIES FOR ANY CONFUSION THE FAMILY PHOTOGRAPH WE SHARED YESTERDAY CAUSED." >> I THINK THE BEST THING TO BE DONE NOW WOULD BE IF KATE AND WILLIAM RELEASED THE ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPH, WARTS AND ALL, WITH NO AMENDMENTS AND NO CHANGES MADE SO THAT WE THE PUBLIC COULD SEE THAT THE CHANGES WEREN'T THAT BIG A DEAL. BUT OF COURSE THAT DEPENDS ON THOSE CHANGES BEING QUITE MINOR. >> SO MOLLY, HAS THE PALACE OFFERED ANYTHING ABOUT WHAT CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE PHOTO? >> Reporter: LESTER, A KENSINGTON PALACE SOURCE SAYS THE ADJUSTMENTS WERE MINOR. WE HAVE GONE BACK TO KENSINGTON PALACE TO ASK FOR MORE DETAILS. WE'VE ALSO ASKED ABOUT THAT ORIGINAL PHOTO AND THE PALACE SAYS THEY HAVE NO PLANS TO RELEASE IT. LESTER? >> MOLLY HUNTER, THANKS. >>> SOME TERRIFYING MOMENTS TODAY IN THE AIR. DOZENS OF PEOPLE INJURED AFTER THE BOEING 787 PLANE THEY WERE RIDING ON ENCOUNTERED STRONG SHAKING. THE CAUSE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION. HERE'S TOM COSTELLO. >> Reporter: VIDEO FROM INSIDE CHILEAN FLIGHT LATAM 800 CAPTURING THE AFTERMATH OF SOME HARROWING MOMENTS. ON BOARD THE FLIGHT FROM SYDNEY TO AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND 50 INJURED PASSENGERS AND CREW MEMBERS. AT LEAST ONE LYING ON THE FLOOR. OTHERS WITH BLEEDING HEAD INJURIES AFTER BEING THROWN TO THE CEILING. 13 SENT TO AREA HOSPITALS. IN A STATEMENT THE AIRLINE SAYS THE PLANE "EXPERIENCED A STRONG SHAKE DURING FLIGHT, THE CAUSE OF WHICH IS UNDER INVESTIGATION." ON FLIGHTAWARE LATAM 800 IS SHOWN FLYING AT 41,000 FEET WHEN ITS ALTITUDE READING IS SUDDENLY LOST FOR ROUGHLY AN HOUR AND 10 MINUTES, THEN REAPPEARING AS THE PLANE APPROACHES AUCKLAND. >> YOU CAN BE SURE THAT INVESTIGATORS ARE GOING TO BE DOWNLOADING AND ANALYZING THAT FLIGHT DATA RECORDER AS WELL AS THE MEMORY ON THE FLIGHT CONTROL COMPUTERS THAT CONTROL THE FLIGHT CONTROLS FOR THIS AIRPLANE. >> Reporter: THE BOEING 787 WAS SUPPOSED TO FLY ON TO SANTIAGO AFTER STOPPING IN AUCKLAND. MEANWHILE, NBC NEWS HAS CONFIRMED THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS LAUNCHED A NEW CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION INTO BOEING FOLLOWING THE BLOWOUT OF THE DOOR PLUG ON A 737 MAX 9 IN JANUARY. THE NTSB HAS DETERMINED THE PLANE LEFT THE BOEING PLANT WITHOUT FOUR CRITICAL BOLTS THAT HOLD THE PLUG IN PLACE. AMONG THE QUESTIONS, DOES BOEING'S ADMITTED QUALITY CONTROL BREAKDOWN VIOLATE A PREVIOUS AGREEMENT WITH JUSTICE AFTER TWO FATAL BOEING MAX 8 CRASHES KILLED 346 PEOPLE? A SCATHING FAA AUDIT FOUND BOEING FAILED TO COMPLY WITH ITS OWN QUALITY CONTROL PROCEDURES. >> WE'RE WORKING WITH BOEING AND DEMANDING THAT THEY COME UP WITH A VERY DETAILED PLAN WITHIN THE NEXT 90 DAYS TO FIX THE QUALITY ISSUES THAT ARE OUT THERE. >> AND TOM, LAST WEEK THE NTSB ACCUSED BOEING OF NOT COOPERATING IN THE MAX 9 INVESTIGATION. BUT BOEING I UNDERSTAND HAS NOW HANDED OVER SOME MORE INFORMATION. >> Reporter: YEAH, THAT'S RIGHT. THE NTSB SAYS BOEING HAS NOW PROVIDED THE NAMES OF 25 PEOPLE WHO WORKED ON THAT DOOR PLUG BEFORE IT WAS INSTALLED ON THE FUSELAGE. BUT IT'S POSSIBLE THE WORK WAS NEVER DOCUMENTED AS REQUIRED BY THE FAA, LESTER. >> ALL RIGHT. TOM COSTELLO, THANK YOU. >>> NOW TO THOSE FEROCIOUS, DANGEROUS WINDS STILL SWEEPING ACROSS THE NORTHEAST TONIGHT, CAUSING THOUSANDS OF FLIGHT DELAYS, WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES AND AT LEAST ONE DEATH. ERIN McLAUGHLIN HAS LATE DETAILS. >> Reporter: TONIGHT SPRING BREAK TRAVEL IS OFF TO A BUMPY START. >> WIND EVERYWHERE. IT WAS SHAKING. ALMOST THREW UP. >> Reporter: STRONG WINDS SNARLING AIR TRAVEL AT AIRPORTS UP AND DOWN THE COAST. SO FAR TODAY THERE'S BEEN NEARLY 3,500 FLIGHT DELAYS AND MORE THAN 100 CANCELLATIONS. >> I JUST HOPE WE MAKE IT HOME ON TIME. I DON'T WANT TO STAY HERE ANOTHER NIGHT. >> Reporter: AFTER A MESSY WEEKEND OF WET WEATHER AND HARROWING ESCAPES THAT SYSTEM BLOWN OUT MONDAY BY GUSTS UP TO 63 MILES PER HOUR. WITH TENS OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS IN THE NORTHEAST UNDER WIND ALERTS. THE COMBINATION OF RAIN-SATURATED SOIL AND STRONG WINDS TURNED DEADLY OVERNIGHT. IN PENNSYLVANIA 43-YEAR-OLD SCOTT QUICKEL WAS KILLED AFTER A MASSIVE TREE FELL ON HIS HOME. MEANWHILE, ACROSS THE TRI-STATE AREA THE WIND KNOCKED OUT POWER FOR THOUSANDS. AND IN OUR NATION'S CAPITAL THE WEATHER SHUT DOWN MONUMENTS FOR A SECOND DAY. >> IT USED TO BE THAT THE WEATHER OF YESTERDAY WAS PREDICTIVE OF THE WEATHER OF TODAY. AND THAT'S NO LONGER TRUE. WE'RE SEEING MUCH WARMER WINTERS, MUCH WETTER WINTERS. >> Reporter: THE UNFORTUNATE NEW REALITY OF A WINTER OF EXTREMES. ERIN McLAUGHLIN, NBC NEWS, NEW YORK. >>> LET'S TURN TO THE RACE FOR THE WHITE HOUSE NOW AND A NEW CLASH OVER SOCIAL SECURITY. PRESIDENT BIDEN ACCUSING DONALD TRUMP OF SUGGESTING HE'D MAKE CUTS TO THE ENTITLEMENT PROGRAM. THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN FIRING BACK TONIGHT SAYING MR. TRUMP NEVER SAID THAT. GARRETT HAAKE NOW WITH LATE DETAILS. >> Reporter: PRESIDENT BIDEN RAMPING UP HIS RE-ELECTION CAMPAIGN TONIGHT, ATTACKING DONALD TRUMP IN BATTLEGROUND NEW HAMPSHIRE. >> DONALD TRUMP SAID CUTS TO SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE ARE ON THE TABLE AGAIN. I'M NEVER GOING TO ALLOW THAT TO HAPPEN. >> Reporter: HITTING THE FORMER PRESIDENT AFTER HE RESPONDED TO A REPORTER WHO SUGGESTED SOMETHING NEEDED TO BE DONE ABOUT ENTITLEMENTS. >> THERE IS A LOT YOU CAN DO IN TERMS OF ENTITLEMENTS, IN TERMS OF CUTTING AND IN TERMS OF ALSO THE THEFT AND THE BAD MANAGEMENT OF ENTITLEMENTS. I DON'T NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THE STATEMENT. >> Reporter: THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN SAYING HE WAS NOT TALKING ABOUT CUTTING BENEFITS BUT CUTTING WASTE. MR. TRUMP JUST LAST WEEK POSTING "REPUBLICANS HAVE NO PLANS TO CUT SOCIAL SECURITY." THE PRESIDENT TODAY LAYING OUT HIS BUDGET IN A SHOW OF SECOND-TERM PRIORITIES. THE LARGELY SYMBOLIC PLAN WOULD BOOST SPENDING TO $7.3 TRILLION WHILE RAISING TAXES ON THE WEALTHY AND CORPORATIONS. THE PRESIDENT CALLS FOR RESTORING THE FULL CHILD TAX CREDIT AND PROPOSES NATIONAL PAID LEAVE. >> IT'S JUST ABOUT BASIC FAIRNESS. JUST BASIC DECENCY. >> Reporter: MEANWHILE, MR. TRUMP IN BATTLEGROUND GEORGIA BLASTING PRESIDENT BIDEN FOR SAYING HE REGRETTED USING THE WORD "ILLEGAL" TO DESCRIBE THE ALLEGED KILLER OF GEORGIA NURSING STUDENT LAKEN RILEY. POLICE SAY THE SUSPECT WAS A VENEZUELAN MIGRANT WHO CROSSED THE BORDER ILLEGALLY TWO YEARS AGO. >> LAKEN RILEY, AN INNOCENT YOUNG WOMAN WHO WAS KILLED BY AN ILLEGAL. >> I SHOULDN'T HAVE USED ILLEGAL. IT'S UNDOCUMENTED. >> YOU REGRET USING THAT WORD? >> YES. >> Reporter: MR. TRUMP MET WITH LAKEN RILEY'S FAMILY BEFORE HIS GEORGIA RALLY. >> HE WAS ILLEGAL. AND I SAY HE WAS AN ILLEGAL ALIEN. HE SHOULDN'T HAVE BEEN IN OUR COUNTRY AND HE NEVER WOULD HAVE BEEN UNDER THE TRUMP POLICY. >> Reporter: AND TODAY MR. TRUMP'S LAWYERS ARGUED THAT THE MARCH START OF HIS NEW YORK CRIMINAL TRIAL SHOULD BE DELAYED UNTIL THE SUPREME COURT RULES ON HIS CLAIM OF PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY. THAT JUDGE COULD ISSUE HIS DECISION AS SOON AS NEXT WEEK. LESTER? >> GARRETT HAAKE, THANK YOU. >>> IN THE MIDDLE EAST A SHIP THAT WILL BRING DESPERATELY NEEDED FOOD TO GAZA STILL HAS NOT LEFT FOR THE TERRITORY TONIGHT. AS TENSIONS GROW BETWEEN PRESIDENT BIDEN AND ISRAEL'S PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU. RICHARD ENGEL WITH THE LATEST. >> Reporter: 200 TONS OF FOOD ALREADY RIGOROUSLY INSPECTED BY ISRAELI OFFICIALS ARE READY TO SET SAIL YET REMAIN DELAYED IN A PORT ON THE NEARBY ISLAND OF CYPRUS. THE WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN, THE AID GROUP SHIPPING THE SUPPLIES, SAYS IT'S NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE HOLDUP. MULTIPLE AID AGENCIES ACCUSE ISRAEL OF IMPOSING ARBITRARY RESTRICTIONS TO CHOKE OFF GAZA AND PRESSURE HAMAS WHILE PRESIDENT BIDEN'S FRUSTRATION WITH ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER BENJAMIN NETANYAHU IS CLEARLY GROWING. MR. BIDEN NOW SAYING HE HAS A RED LINE, OPPOSING A POTENTIAL ISRAELI INVASION OF RAFAH, WHERE MORE THAN A MILLION PALESTINIANS ARE TAKING REFUGE. >> IT IS A RED LINE. BUT I'M NEVER GOING TO LEAVE ISRAEL. THE DEFENSE OF ISRAEL IS STILL CRITICAL. SO THERE'S NO RED LINE I'M GOING TO CUT OFF ALL WEAPONS SO THEY DON'T HAVE THE IRON DOME TO PROTECT THEM. >> Reporter: NETANYAHU RESPONDING TONIGHT, STILL VOWING TO GO INTO RAFAH, SAYING HIS RED LINE IS PREVENTING ANOTHER HAMAS TERROR ATTACK. >> THE PRESIDENT AND I HAVE AGREED THAT WE HAVE TO DESTROY HAMAS. WE CAN'T LEAVE A QUARTER OF THE HAMAS TERROR ARMY IN PLACE. THEY'RE THERE IN RAFAH. >> Reporter: IN CYPRUS WE WERE GIVEN EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO THE COMMAND CENTER MANAGING WHAT OFFICIALS HOPE WILL BECOME A MARITIME AID CORRIDOR TO GAZA. >> IF WE HAVE THE FINAL GOOD RESULT THEN IT WOULD BE A GOOD OMEN FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THIS -- THIS EFFORT THAT IS JUST STARTING. >> Reporter: AIRDROPS ARE PICKING UP. BUT EACH FLIGHT ONLY CARRIES THE EQUIVALENT OF A SINGLE TRUCKLOAD. WITH FOOD THAT COULD HELP 6-YEAR-OLD FADI SURVIVE. HE HAS CYSTIC FIBROSIS AND NEEDS A HIGH-CALORIE AND HIGH-FAT DIET. HIS DOCTOR AND FAMILY SAY HE'S STARVING TO DEATH TONIGHT, EVEN THOUGH RELIEF IS TANTALIZINGLY CLOSE. AND THAT SHIP BEHIND ME IS TOWING A BARGE AND WILL ONLY TRAVEL AROUND 3 MILES AN HOUR AND TAKE THREE DAYS TO REACH GAZA WHENEVER IT'S GIVEN PERMISSION TO LEAVE. LESTER? >> RICHARD ENGEL, THANK YOU. >>> WE'LL TAKE A BREAK. AND IN 60 SECONDS THE STUBBORNLY HIGH COST OF FOO >>> AT A TIME WHEN AMERICANS ARE FRUSTRATED BY THE HIGH COST OF GROCERIES, SOME SUPERMARKET CHAINS ARE KEEPING PRICES DOWN BY OFFERING THEIR OWN PRIVATE BRANDS. WE GET MORE FROM SAM BROCK IN "THE PRICE YOU PAY." >> Reporter: WITH THE COMPETITION FOR GROCERY SHOPPERS COOKING, YEARS OF INFLATION HAS TAKEN ITS TOLL ON FAMILY BUDGETS. >> HOW IMPORTANT IS PRICE WHEN IT COMES TO WHERE YOU SHOP? >> EXTREMELY IMPORTANT. YOU KNOW, LIKE THE DAY TO DAY YOU HAVE YOUR CONSTRAINTS. >> THE QUALITY OF FOOD AND PRICE. >> Reporter: WHILE FOOD PRICES HAVE FINALLY STARTED TO PLATEAU, ONE STUDY SHOWS THEY'RE UP 25% SINCE THE START OF THE PANDEMIC AND SOME ITEMS REMAIN STUBBORNLY EXPENSIVE. >> IT'S THAT BEEF, IT'S THAT PORK, IT'S THAT CHICKEN. AND ALSO THE DAIRY CATEGORY. >> Reporter: WITH CUSTOMERS SEEKING OUT LOWER PRICES ON ITEMS LIKE MILK. DISCOUNT GROCERY STORE ALDI JUST ANNOUNCED PLANS FOR 800 NEW LOCATIONS. AND THE MILK HERE REALLY IS MORE AFFORDABLE. THIS ENTIRE THING IS ABOUT $3 A GALLON. BUT IT'S ALSO THE SOURDOUGH BREAD AND THE CHIPS. EVEN THE CROISSANTS. 90-PLUS PERCENT OF THESE PRODUCTS ARE PRIVATE BRAND, WHICH IS ONE WAY THEY'RE KEEPING THE PRICE DOWN. OTHER PRICE-SENSITIVE CHAINS ARE ALSO EXPANDING, FROM COSTCO ADDING TWO DOZEN U.S. STORES IN 2024 TO WALMART BULKING UP OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. >> COULD IT PUT DOWNWARD PRESSURE ON SOME OF THE OTHER MAJOR GROCERY RETAILERS TO LOWER THEIR PRICES TOO? >> ABSOLUTELY. THE BIG STORES HAVE ALREADY HAD THIS COMPETITION IN MIND. BUT IF YOU'RE A VERY, VERY SMALL TWO OR THREE-STORE LOCATION ALDI'S IS PROBABLY YOUR BIGGEST THREAT. >> Reporter: CONSUMERS JUST HOPING ALL THESE ADDITIONS LEAD TO A SUBTRACTION ON THEIR BILLS. SAM BROCK, NBC NEWS, MIAMI. >>> AND UP NEXT FOR US, THE SHOCKING ALLEGATIONS BY THE BROTHER OF PRINCESS DIANA. >>> NOW TO OUR NBC NEWS EXCLUSIVE. HE'S THE BROTHER OF PRINCESS DIANA, AND TONIGHT CHARLES SPENCER IS OPENING UP ABOUT THE HORRIFYING PHYSICAL AND SEXUAL ABUSE HE SAYS HE AND OTHERS SUFFERED AT AN ELITE BOARDING SCHOOL IN THE UK. HE SPOKE WITH CYNTHIA McFADDEN. >> Reporter: CHARLES SPENCER, BROTHER OF PRINCESS DIANA, GODCHILD OF QUEEN ELIZABETH, AND UNCLE OF THE FUTURE KING -- >> WE USED TO HAVE TO WALK DOWN THERE. >> Reporter: -- SAYS THE ENGLISH BOARDING SCHOOL HE ATTENDED FROM 8 TO 13 WAS OPERATED ON A CULTURE OF SECRECY AND ABUSE. >> THIS IS NOT A BUNCH OF MID TEEN, LATE TEEN KIDS GOING THROUGH A ROUGH SCHOOL. THIS IS CHILDREN BEING SEXUALLY, PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY ABUSED ON A DAILY BASIS. >> Reporter: HE SAYS HIS BOOK "A VERY PRIVATE SCHOOL" RELIES NOT JUST ON HIS OWN EXPERIENCES BUT ALSO WHAT HAPPENED TO TWO DOZEN OTHER CLASSMATES AT MAIDWELL HALL, WHO HE INTERVIEWED OVER THE PAST FIVE YEARS. >> WE WERE PREY TO VERY BAD PEOPLE'S WORST INSTINCTS. >> Reporter: SPENCER SAT DOWN WITH NBC NEWS FOR HIS FIRST INTERVIEW AT ALLTHORPE, HIS FAMILY'S ESTATE. >> EVERY WEEK AT LEAST HALF A DOZEN WOULD BE WHIPPED WITH A CANE, AND WE ALL HAD SHOWERS TOGETHER AFTER SPORTS, AND YOU COULD SEE THE BLOOD, THE SPLIT SKIN. >> Reporter: HE SAYS ABUSE CAME FROM SOME OF THE TEACHERS TOO. >> THERE WAS ONE PARTICULARLY VIOLENT MASTER AND HE CAUGHT ME BY MYSELF IN A CHANGING ROOM GOING OUT TO PLAY CRICKET AND HE JUST GRABBED ME AND THREW ME OVER HIS KNEE. AND CRICKET BOOTS HAVE SPIKES ON THEM, METAL SPIKES. AND HE BEAT ME AND BEAT ME. >> Reporter: BUT WHAT HAS TRULY HAUNTED HIM WAS BEING SEXUALLY ABUSED AT THE AGE HE WAS IN THIS PORTRAIT, 11. THE PREDATOR, HE SAYS, A YOUNG WOMAN, A MEMBER OF THE STAFF CHARGED WITH TAKING CARE OF THE YOUNG BOYS. >> SHE WOULD COME AROUND TO MY BED WHEN OTHERS WERE ASLEEP AND KISS ME, YOU KNOW, FRENCH KISS, FOR AGES. AND IT WAS SO -- IF I WAS 17, 18 IT WOULD BE A DIFFERENT THING. BUT I WAS 11. IT WAS SO CONFUSING. >> Reporter: HE SAYS KISSING LED TO INTENSE FONDLING AND THAT SHE WAS SEXUALLY ABUSING SEVERAL OTHER BOYS AND HAVING INTERCOURSE WITH AT LEAST TWO OF THEM. WHEN HE WAS 12, HE SAYS, AND TRAVELING WITH HIS MOTHER IN ITALY HE SECRETLY ACTED OUT THE FINAL SCENE OF THE SEXUAL ABUSE FROM THE YEAR BEFORE. >> I TOOK MY POCKET MONEY AND I LOST MY VIRGINITY TO A PROSTITUTE AND -- AT THE AGE OF 12, AND I SEE THAT AS THE COMPLETION OF WHAT SHE HAD DONE TO ME. >> Reporter: MAIDWELL HALL IS TAKING HIS CHARGES SERIOUSLY AND TOLD NBC NEWS IN A STATEMENT THEY HAVE NOW REACHED OUT TO THE LOCAL AUTHORITIES CHARGED WITH PROTECTING CHILDREN. "WE WILL FOLLOW THEIR GUIDANCE ON WHAT WE DO FROM THIS POINT. WE WOULD ENCOURAGE ANYONE WITH SIMILAR EXPERIENCES TO COME FORWARD AND CONTACT THOSE LOCAL AUTHORITIES OR THE POLICE." SPENCER BELIEVES THE YOUNG WOMAN WHO SEXUALLY ABUSED HIM AND OTHERS IS STILL ALIVE. UNLIKE IN THE U.S., IN BRITAIN THERE IS NO STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS ON RAPE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT. CYNTHIA McFADDEN, NBC NEWS. >>> AND WE'LL TAKE A BREAK RIGHT HERE. AND UP NEXT A TALE OF TWO FAMILIES. THE AMERICAN DREAM AND THEIR EXTRAORDINARY ACTS OF KINDNESS. >>> FINALLY, TWO FAMILIES BONDED BY ONE HOME, AND THE MOVING GESTURE NOW HELPING OTHERS CHASE THEIR OWN AMERICAN DREAMS. HERE'S ELWYN LOPEZ. >> Reporter: THE HISTORIC HOTEL DEL CORONADO WAS BUILT IN THE LATE 1800s BY THOUSANDS OF WORKERS WHO WOULD NEVER BE ABLE TO STEP FOOT INSIDE AS GUESTS, INCLUDING GUS THOMPSON. BALLINGER GARDNER KEMP IS HIS GREAT GRANDSON. >> IT'S STILL HERE. >> IT'S STILL HERE. AND IT'S STILL FABULOUS. >> Reporter: GUS THOMPSON WAS BORN INTO SLAVERY. EVENTUALLY, HE MOVED TO CALIFORNIA, WHERE HE AND HIS WIFE EMMA LIVED WITH THEIR FAMILY JUST THREE BLOCKS FROM THE HOTEL. >> THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE. THIS HAS BEEN HERE SINCE THE 18 -- THE LATE 1800s? >> CORRECT. 1895 TO BE EXACT. >> Reporter: KEVIN ASHLEY STUDIES THE CITY'S BLACK HISTORY. >> JUST THE IDEA THAT THERE WAS A THRIVING AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY BETWEEN 1890 AND 1920. >> WAS THAT SHOCKING TO YOU? >> HUGELY SHOCKING. >> Reporter: DURING A TIME WHEN HOUSING LAWS FAVORED WHITE BUYERS AND RENTERS THOMPSON AND HIS FAMILY WELCOMED VISITORS THAT NO ONE ELSE WOULD TAKE IN. >> THEIR OLD ORIGINAL HOUSE, THEY USUALLY RENTED IT OUT TO IMMIGRANTS. >> Reporter: AMONG THEM A CHINESE AMERICAN GARDNER LLOYD DONG. >> HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE. THERE WASN'T A LOT AVAILABLE. >> Reporter: HIS SON RON WAS JUST A TODDLER AT THE TIME. >> SO THAT'S THE BEGINNING OF IT. >> Reporter: A NEW BEGINNING FOR THE DONGS, WHO ULTIMATELY BOUGHT THE HOUSE. NOW DECADES LATER THEY'RE SELLING IT AND PLEDGING THE PROCEEDS TO SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY'S BLACK RESOURCE CENTER. A GESTURE THAT PAYS IT FORWARD TO THE NEXT GENERATION AND ONE THAT HAS BEEN IN THE MAKING FOR NEARLY 100 YEARS. >> PAYING IT FORWARD, SHALL WE SAY, IS JUST THE ICING ON THE CAKE. IT'S A BEAUTIFUL STORY. MAYBE IT'S ONE THAT THE WORLD NEEDS TO HEAR. >> Reporter: ELWYN LOPEZ, NBC NEWS, CORONADO, CALIFORNIA. >> AND THAT'S "NIGHTLY NEWS" FOR THIS MONDAY. THANK YOU FOR WATCHING, EVERYONE. I'M LESTER HOLT. PLEASE TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF AND EACH OTHER. GOOD NIGHT.
