LONDON — A memoir by Charles Spencer, the late Princess Diana’s brother, has ignited a public dispute with King Charles III, reawakening painful memories surrounding the 1997 funeral of the former princess. The book, titled “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister,” released Tuesday, contains serious accusations regarding the behavior of Diana’s ex-husband, now King Charles.
Spencer alleges that he had a heated confrontation with the then-Prince Charles regarding plans for young Princes William and Harry to walk behind their mother’s coffin during the funeral procession. According to Spencer, he informed the prince that Diana would not have wanted her sons to endure such an ordeal. He claims Charles reacted with intense anger, telling him, “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.”
The author also accuses the King of holding contempt for his late wife and appearing “elated” following her death in a car crash in Paris at age 36. In response to excerpts published earlier in the week, Buckingham Palace issued a strongly worded statement, which is considered unusual given the typically measured tone of the royal household.
“His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and color memory in ways others do not recognize, even many years after such a loss,” the statement read. Spencer stood by his accounts in interviews with the BBC, questioning whether the King was responding out of fury or embarrassment.
The publication draws renewed attention to the volatile history between Charles and Diana, who married in 1981 and divorced in 1996. Charles later married Camilla Parker Bowles, now Queen Camilla. Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer, has previously clashed with the institution over how royals treated his sister. During Diana’s funeral, his eulogy was widely interpreted as a critique of the family, vowing that her “blood family” would uphold her legacy.
Spencer also criticized the royal family for what he described as a lack of adequate care for 12-year-old Prince Harry in the aftermath of the funeral. He recalled Harry appearing “tiny, and slight, and bereft,” noting that the young prince was denied the comfort he needed and instead allowed to spiral. While some critics have questioned the timing of revisiting these events 30 years later, Spencer stated his intention was to record his own memories definitively, rather than continue to encounter baseless opinions from others.
I wonder if William and Harry feel used as props in this ongoing feud? Their privacy deserves more respect than this.
The Palace’s rebuttal was surprisingly cold and clinical. Suggesting grief clouds judgment feels like a veiled attack on his mental state.
Charles Spencer is relentless. Thirty years on and he is still fighting the Institution. It never ends with this family.