London – In a memoir released Tuesday, Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer and brother of the late Princess Diana, alleges that his sister’s former husband, now King Charles III, ignored her wishes during her 1997 funeral. Spencer writes that he confronted the then‑Prince Charles over plans for Prince William and Prince Harry, then 15 and 12, to walk behind Diana’s coffin, warning that she would not have wanted her boys to endure that ordeal.
Allegations in “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister”
Spencer says the king “went ballistic” when he raised the issue, telling him, “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.” He further accuses the monarch of showing contempt for his ex‑wife and appearing “elated” after her death. The book, titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, also criticizes the royal household for a perceived lack of care toward a grieving 12‑year‑old Harry, describing the prince as “tiny, slight, and bereft” after the funeral.
Royal household’s response
Buckingham Palace issued a statement describing the king as “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.” The palace’s wording underscores the measured tone traditionally employed by the royal family when addressing sensitive matters.
Spencer’s perspective
When asked by the BBC whether the king was “furious” or “embarrassed,” Spencer replied, “Is he furious? Is he furious or is he embarrassed?” He maintains that his memoir aims to set the record straight, stating, “I want to write down my own thoughts and memories about Diana, once and for all, rather than reading the opinions of others, many of which are based on untruths.” Spencer also drew a parallel between the media treatment of Diana and the current scrutiny faced by Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, noting that Diana was “brought low by all that criticism” and expressing sorrow at seeing similar echoes today.
Historical context
The Spencer family has a long history of tension with the royal household. Their strained relationship was dramatized in the 2006 film The Queen and the Netflix series The Crown. At Diana’s funeral, Spencer delivered a eulogy that many interpreted as a subtle rebuke of the monarchy, emphasizing that her “blood family” would uphold her legacy.
While the book has sparked renewed debate over the royal family’s handling of Diana’s death, it also arrives at a time when the monarchy has sought to modernise its image. The more personable approaches of Princes William and Harry, and even the king’s recent public engagements, have been presented as efforts to move beyond the crisis of the late 1990s.
Penguin Press announced that the memoir will be released worldwide and translated into twelve languages, ensuring that Spencer’s account will reach a broad international audience.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
