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Buckingham Palace has addressed a striking allegation reportedly contained in a forthcoming memoir by Earl Spencer, the younger brother of the late Princess Diana and maternal uncle of Princes William and Harry.
Charles Edward Maurice Spencer is preparing to publish Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, a book expected to revisit deeply personal aspects of Diana’s life, including her marriage to the future King Charles and the circumstances surrounding her death.
Among the most dramatic claims reportedly featured in the memoir is Spencer’s account of a serious disagreement with Charles in the immediate aftermath of Diana’s death. According to the Daily Mail, tensions between the two men erupted while discussions were taking place over how the Princess’s funeral should be handled.
Spencer reportedly describes an emotionally charged confrontation over those arrangements, which took place only days after his sister died.
During the alleged exchange, Charles is claimed to have made the particularly stark remark: “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough”.
The reported account has now prompted a response from Buckingham Palace as attention turns to Spencer’s version of the events surrounding one of the Royal Family’s most difficult periods.
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Buckingham Palace stopped short of directly addressing Earl Spencer’s version of the alleged conversation, but issued a statement suggesting that the lasting impact of losing a sibling can influence how events are remembered decades later.
A Palace spokesperson said: “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.”
Diana’s sudden death on August 31, 1997, triggered an extraordinary wave of public mourning across Britain and around the world. The Princess died following a car crash in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris.
Six days after the tragedy, millions watched as her funeral took place at Westminster Abbey. The televised service drew an estimated British audience of 32.1 million people, reflecting the enormous public response to her death.
Among the most memorable and painful images from the day were those of Diana’s two young sons walking behind their mother’s coffin. William, who was 15 at the time, and 12-year-old Harry joined their father Charles, grandfather Prince Philip and uncle Earl Spencer in the funeral procession.
Spencer also played a prominent role inside Westminster Abbey, delivering an emotional eulogy in memory of his sister. His words prompted applause that spread beyond the congregation to members of the public gathered outside.
Nearly three decades later, Spencer is preparing to revisit his relationship with Diana in considerably greater depth. His forthcoming memoir, Swan Song, is due to be released next Tuesday and is being presented as an intensely personal account containing memories that he has not previously shared publicly.
Spencer has described what readers can expect as an “extraordinarily moving” exploration of his bond with Diana.
Looking back at the famous eulogy he delivered at Westminster Abbey, he has also indicated that the new book will continue his effort to present what he regards as the “truth” about his older sister and the life she lived.
