Buckingham Palace has formally rejected criticisms leveled against King Charles III in a new book by Earl Charles Spencer, the brother of the late Princess Diana. The response marks the latest escalation in the long-standing feud between the Windsors and the Spencers, which dates back to the day of Diana’s funeral in 1997.
The palace addressed claims made by Earl Spencer, who alleges that the King told him during an angry phone call shortly after Diana’s death, “rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.” Spencer has been a vocal critic of his former brother-in-law for decades, particularly regarding the monarchy’s initial reaction to the public mourning following Diana’s fatal car crash in Paris.
In a statement released Wednesday evening, a spokesperson for the King declined to comment on the book itself, citing a principle of not discussing published works. However, the statement suggested that Spencer’s perspective was influenced by emotional trauma. “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 spokesperson said.
Spencer’s allegations appear in his forthcoming book, “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister,” which is being serialized in the Daily Mail. In it, he reiterates his claim that he requested Princes William and Harry, then aged 15 and 12, not to participate in the funeral procession on September 6, 1997. He asserts that Charles responded with a “stream of anger” and directed pent-up contempt at Diana toward him.
The tension between the two families preceded Diana’s death, marked by an acrimonious separation and deteriorating relations between Charles and Diana. The conflict has frequently surfaced in British media and popular culture, including depictions in the Netflix series “The Crown.”
Meanwhile, King Charles is set to continue with his official duties despite the controversy. On Thursday, he and Queen consort Camilla will host executives from major artificial intelligence companies, including Nvidia, Google DeepMind, OpenAI, and Anthropic, at Dumfries House in Ayrshire, Scotland.
The event underscores the King’s focus on the ethical implications of AI development. According to excerpts released by the palace, Charles will tell attendees that decisions made during this “formative time” will shape the world for future generations. He is expected to urge the industry to ensure technology remains in service of humanity, community, and the natural world.
Also attending the summit will be Kanishka Narayan, Britain’s Minister for Artificial Intelligence, recently appointed by Prime Minister Andy Burnham, and Paolo Benanti, an adviser to Pope Leo XIV, who has expressed significant concern regarding AI development.
AI summit in Scotland while the family feud dominates headlines? Hope Charles keeps his focus on ethics, not drama.
Suggesting grief clouds Spencer’s memory feels like a cheap dodge rather than a factual rebuttal. Classic royal playbook.