Book about Princess Diana sparks clash with King Charles as royal palace hits back

The publication of a book by Charles Spencer, Princess Diana’s brother, has been accompanied by intense controversy even before its official release.

The work, titled “The Swan Song—My Sister Diana,” focuses on developments following Diana’s death in 1997 and contains serious accusations against King Charles. Excerpts were published in advance by the Daily Mail, prompting immediate reactions. The Royal Palace rejected the claims.

One of the episodes recounted concerns a telephone call Spencer says he had with Charles after Diana’s death. At the center of the conversation was the question of whether the princess’s two sons should walk behind the coffin during the funeral ceremony. According to Spencer, Charles, who was prince at the time, supported the idea, while he himself opposed it.

The author claims that the discussion escalated and that Charles accused the Spencer family of lacking sensitivity. He further recalls that Charles said angrily: “Diana, we will forget her very soon.”

The Royal Palace responded very quickly, stating that the king understood that a brother’s grief could, even after many years, affect his reasoning, judgment and memory. The statement was seen as a direct rebuttal of Spencer’s account.

Such an immediate and forceful response is unusual for the royal family, which usually does not comment publicly on controversies. In the book, Spencer makes another claim: he says that during a telephone call after Diana’s death, Charles appeared relieved and even happy when he received the news.

The princess’s brother stresses that every detail included in the book has been recounted in accordance with the way he experienced and remembers that period.

The controversy has erupted at a time when the royal family has faced several contentious issues, including problems related to Prince Andrew and the ongoing clashes between Prince Harry and the royal family.