Earl Spencer has described writing his new memoir about his sister, Diana, Princess of Wales, as his “duty… as an eyewitness to history.” The book contains a number of candid claims about King Charles, including a controversial allegation that the King said, “we’ll forget her soon enough” in reference to Diana after her death.
Following the publication of these claims, Buckingham Palace responded by suggesting that the pain of fraternal grief can impact reason, saying, “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.”
Speaking with the BBC, the Earl explained his motivation to write the book: “I’m aware of mortality and I wanted to just put things down once and for all that were true.” He also revealed that while he possesses further knowledge about the King, he deliberately chose not to include it in the memoir as it was not relevant.
READ MORE: A419 near Stroud to close for 11 days amid growing landslip concerns
READ MORE: Texas-Inspired BBQ Restaurant to Open in Cirencester Next Week
The Earl criticised the Palace’s response as a “rather poor imitation” of the late Queen’s famous “recollections may vary” comment, calling the palace’s statement a form of gaslighting. “It was astonishingly provocative and below the belt because it was essentially trying to say I’d lied without the King being able to deny what I’d said,” the Earl said.
He recounted a disagreement about Diana’s funeral arrangements that involved her sons, describing how King Charles became visibly upset. “(The King) went ballistic, would be the right term, and started really going for my family as a whole, about their sense of duty, not being adequate enough,” said the Earl, adding that the King eventually said, “We’ll forget her soon enough.”
The Earl suggested that Princes William and Harry would not be surprised by the re-emergence of these comments. He also drew parallels between the treatment of Diana by the media and the ongoing relationship between the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and the press.
Recalling the moment he learned of his sister’s death while in South Africa, the Earl explained he was initially told her condition “was not too serious,” but later his sister Jane informed him, “I’m afraid she’s died.”
Regarding the memoir, titled “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister,” Earl Spencer described it as his final word on the matter. “I’m not here to bang on about Diana, this is my final word, celebration of her, and I will step off into the sunset now and not be available for comment,” he stated.
When questioned about his support for the monarchy, the Earl affirmed, “I do,” but clarified that his book focuses on events over 30 years ago, not on King Charles as monarch.
Emotional at times, the Earl expressed how deeply he misses his sister. “That’s the thing with sibling loss, you never get over it,” he said.
This memoir aims to provide a personal and historical account of Princess Diana’s life while addressing longstanding family dynamics and public perceptions.