Diana’s Brother Alleges Charles Was ‘Elated’ After Her Death in New Book

Prince Charles’s former brother-in-law has issued a scathing characterization of the monarch’s reaction to Princess Diana’s death, alleging that he appeared “giddily elated” immediately following the 1997 Paris car crash. The claim appears in “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister,” a memoir by Earl Spencer set for release next week, adding to a series of controversial assertions that have already drawn sharp rebukes from Buckingham Palace.

In an upcoming segment on “CBS Sunday Morning,” Spencer recounted his observation of Prince Charles just one year after the couple’s divorce and during the height of national mourning for Diana, who died at age 36. Spencer told CBS News, “Obviously I’m not justifying or criticizing. I’m just reporting that’s the fact.” He suggested that the then-Prince of Wales may have felt a sense of liberation to pursue a relationship with Camilla, who is now Queen Camilla.

The allegations have reignited tensions within the royal household. Earlier this week, the Palace issued an unusually forceful statement addressing Spencer’s prior claim that Charles had told him days before the funeral, “we’ll forget her soon enough.” In its response, Buckingham Palace noted that while the King does not comment directly on books, he recognizes that “the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgement and colour memory, even many years after such a loss.”

Royya Nikkhah, a royal contributor and editor for The Sunday Times, warned that the royal family faces “a very tricky few days.” She predicted that Spencer’s assertions regarding Charles’s demeanor after Diana’s death would likely be “just the beginning of a serialization” containing further sensational claims. “They will have to decide whether or not they’re going about each and every claim, or just to make that first response we’ve heard from the palace their definitive response,” Nikkhah said, noting that the situation puts the King into “fight mode.”

Spencer’s book also contains additional damaging accounts, including assertions that Charles told Diana he did not love her prior to their 1981 wedding and that Diana contemplated suicide on multiple occasions. Excerpts from the memoir are being published by the Daily Mail in the UK, with more expected in the coming days.

While the claims pose significant challenges for King Charles, reactions from the public in London have been mixed. Some passersby expressed sympathy for the monarch, with one man stating, “I love the king, and I love the royal family.” Others viewed the controversy as regrettable rather than scandalous. A young man walking with his mother described the episode as “a shame,” while his mother called the revelations “totally unnecessary” and criticized the media for continually revisiting the tragedy.

As the book’s release approaches, the anticipation of further excerpts ensures the controversy will remain a focal point of public discourse in the United Kingdom.