Buckingham Palace has broken its traditional protocol of silence following the release of an explosive memoir by Earl Charles Spencer, the brother of the late Princess Diana. The book, titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, presents a series of severe allegations regarding the British royal family’s conduct before and after Diana’s fatal car crash in Paris in 1997.
The memoir, published by Penguin Michael Joseph, details historical grievances, intense private disputes over funeral protocols, and strained personal relationships between Earl Spencer and King Charles III, who was the Prince of Wales at the time of Diana’s death.
Buckingham Palace Issues Rare Public Statement
Departing from the royal household’s standard “never complain, never explain” policy, Buckingham Palace issued an official statement addressing the allegations made in the excerpts of Spencer’s book.
“While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss.”
Buckingham Palace Spokesperson
The rare rebuttal specifically targeted claims recounting private telephone calls between Earl Spencer and King Charles in the days following the August 1997 tragedy.
Key Allegations in “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister”
Earl Spencer’s memoir provides an extensive firsthand account of his sister’s life within the monarchy and the immediate aftermath of her death. Among the most prominent claims published in the book:
- Heated Funeral Disputes: Spencer alleges that during a contentious phone call concerning Diana’s funeral procession, Charles stated that the world would forget Diana “soon enough.” Spencer also recounts opposing the decision to have Prince William, then 15, and Prince Harry, then 12, walk behind their mother’s coffin, calling the prospect “utterly barbaric” before royal officials confirmed the arrangement.
- Post-Tragedy Demeanor: Spencer writes that in an initial phone conversation after the Paris crash, Charles sounded “giddily elated,” an interpretation that former royal aides and commentators have strongly disputed.
- Concerns for Young Prince Harry: The memoir criticizes what Spencer perceived as a “lack of obvious care” provided to a 12-year-old Prince Harry during his period of intense childhood grief.
- Premarital Doubts: Spencer describes how Diana reportedly attempted to call off her 1981 royal wedding after discovering a bracelet intended for Camilla Parker Bowles, but was told by her father, the 8th Earl Spencer, that pulling out of the engagement was impossible.
- Posthumous HRH Title Offer: According to Spencer, Queen Elizabeth II offered to posthumously restore Diana’s “Her Royal Highness” title following her death, an offer Spencer claims he declined on the grounds that it was unnecessary after her passing.
Charles Spencer Responds to Palace Defense
Following Buckingham Palace’s statement regarding his memory and grief, Earl Spencer addressed the response during a televised interview on Good Morning America. Spencer rejected the notion that his recollection had been altered by emotional trauma.
Spencer described the palace statement as “condescending” and maintained that the events described in the memoir were accurate. “What I said is straight and true,” Spencer stated, adding that the response did not directly deny the occurrences described in his text.
Reactions from Royal Insiders and Historians
Royal commentators and former household staff have moved to defend King Charles III against the portrayal presented in the memoir. Dickie Arbiter, who served as press secretary to Queen Elizabeth II during Diana’s death, emphasized publicly that Charles was deeply devastated by the news at the time.
Royal commentator Jennie Bond also noted that while Spencer is recounting his personal recollections, historical conversations of such high emotional intensity often involve differing perspectives from the individuals present.
Reports indicate Prince Harry was aware of the memoir’s contents ahead of publication, having met with his uncle at the Spencer family’s ancestral estate, Althorp, earlier in the summer. The memoir continues to generate widespread debate across the United Kingdom and internationally regarding the royal family’s internal history during one of its most turbulent eras.
