Earl Spencer’s Diana book opens old wounds royals would rather forget
Earl Spencer's Diana book opens old wounds royals would rather forget. Related topicsUK Royal FamilyKing Charles IIIPrincess Diana, Princess of WalesMore on this storyEarl Spencer's Diana book opens old wounds royals would rather forgetPublished10 hours agoPalace in war of words with Earl Spencer over claims in Diana bookPublished1 day ago'Grief can colour memory': Palace responds after Earl Spencer's claim in Diana bookPublished2 days agoEarl Spencer's unreleased book on Diana stolen in the NetherlandsPublished2 days ago
What happened
Image source, Getty ImagesBySean CoughlanRoyal correspondentPublished9 hours agoThe legacy of the shocking death of Diana, Princess of Wales, is still the rawest of wounds for the royals, as demonstrated by the no-holds-barred memoir from her brother Earl Spencer. Image source, Jayne Fincher/Getty ImagesImage caption, King Charles walks with Diana's sisters Lady Jane Fellows (left) and Lady Sarah McCorquodale to meet her coffin as it arrives in EnglandEarl Spencer, in a statement ahead of the book's launch, said he had been "inundated" with requests for interviews about his sister, with the upcoming 30th anniversary prompting him to write down his own memories "rather than having the discomfort of again reading the opinions of others, many of which are based on untruths that have become accepted over time".
Palace in war of words with Earl Spencer over claims in Diana bookPublished1 day agoHarry and Meghan 'surprised' by King's letter making clear they remain non-working royalsPublished8 SeptemberWill Harry's return heal deep-rooted rift with William? Earl Spencer claims in a new book the then-Prince of Wales said "we'll forget her soon enough" during an argument over whether Princes William and Harry should walk in Diana's funeral procession. "'I'm telling the truth': Earl Spencer defends Diana book claims about Charles in BBC interviewPublished16 hours agoA volatile public mood followed Diana's death, with the late Queen Elizabeth eventually having to respond with a live televised address paying tribute to the princess and acknowledging how difficult it can be to articulate grief.
Image source, JOHN STILLWELL/AFP via Getty ImagesImage caption, There was a wave of applause from outside Westminster Abbey when Earl Spencer finished his eulogyThe disputes that followed Diana's death, within the family and between in-laws, are still being aired loudly in Earl Spencer's book – Swan Song: Diana, My Sister – and in the global news coverage it has triggered. "Image source, Princess Diana Archive/Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesImage caption, Prince William was 15 and Prince Harry just 12 at their mother's funeralAt issue is Earl Spencer's account of a conversation with the then Prince Charles after the death of Diana, with the prince accused of telling Earl Spencer: "We'll forget her soon enough.
The wider picture
Image source, Jeff Overs/BBCImage caption, Princes William and Harry, then aged 15 and 12, walked behind their mother's coffin alongside Earl Spencer and their fatherIn excerpts of his book published by the Daily Mail, Earl Spencer claims the phone call took place after he insisted Diana would not have wanted the young princes to walk in the procession. "Image caption, Diana is buried at the Spencer family's Althorp estateEarl Spencer's book, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, is due to be published next week and is expected to be highly critical of the Royal Family.
Image caption, Many of Saturday's papers continue their coverage of the fallout from Earl Spencer's book about his sister Diana, Princess of Wales. Low was inside Westminster Abbey for Diana's funeral and vividly remembers the public response to the electrifying speech made by Earl Spencer. On social media, Diana's fans are believing Earl Spencer's version of events, says Prof Pauline Maclaran of Royal Holloway, University of London. That's echoed by historian and author Sir Anthony Seldon who says Earl Spencer showed great courage at the time of Diana's funeral, but says his memoir is a "sad and unnecessary publication".
"Figure caption, Watch: Earl Spencer says he's 'telling the truth' about what Charles said after Diana diedIn person, Earl Spencer is a very affable and charming figure, a writer who has had a first-hand view of some big royal moments and has the stories, sometimes scandalous, to show for it. If this book shows that the royals haven't escaped the legacy of Diana's death, then it also shows that neither has he.
What has been reported
Figure caption, Watch: Earl Spencer says he's 'telling the truth' about what Charles said after Diana diedByLaura KuenssbergBBC presenterPublished18 September 2026Princess Diana's brother has told the BBC exclusively that he is "telling the truth" about a phone call with King Charles in the days after his sister's death. Earl Spencer's emotional and defiant speech at her funeral added to that cloud of grievance hanging over Diana's death at the age of 36. There is still a graphic sense of his distress at walking behind her coffin, with Prince Harry mentioning Earl Spencer's opposition.
The first opinion poll on who to believe has been published by YouGov – and it suggests a very split view, with 31% believing Earl Spencer's allegations, 36% suspecting it's not true and 33% saying they don't know. Low thinks the book is unlikely to change many opinions, as "people have settled into their camps about how they regard Charles, how they look back on the Diana years". Royal commentator Richard Palmer says the book threatens to take the royals back to the difficult days of 1997.
"This book and the run-up to next year's 30th anniversary of Diana's death threaten to undermine the Royal Household's three decades of work to rehabilitate Charles and Camilla's image," he says. In it Earl Spencer doubles down on his allegations about King Charles, saying: "I can tell you here and now, those are exactly the words he said.
What happens next
You can watch Earl Spencer's interview with Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday from 16:00 BST on BBC iPlayer and on BBC One at 18:30. But in his first interview since, Earl Spencer said: "I can tell you here and now, those are exactly the words he said. "Image caption, Earl Spencer spoke to the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg at his Althorp estate in NorthamptonshireReacting to the rare statement from the Palace, Earl Spencer said: "Well, is he furious? In response to the Palace disputing his account, Earl Spencer, who shares his first name with the King, said: "They've sort of smudged that one, haven't they?
"Buckingham Palace declined to give a response to Earl Spencer's fresh comments. "And then he stopped and I thought, oh now, now he's gonna pull himself together and say something more appropriate," Earl Spencer said. Earl Spencer recounts being alerted to the crash by a phone call from his sister Jane in the middle of the night at his home in Cape Town, South Africa.
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