King Charles III has issued a firm rebuttal regarding claims made in a new memoir written by Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer. The book, titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, is scheduled for release soon. It focuses on the life of the late Princess Diana, who died at the age of 36 on August 31, 1997, after a car crash in a Paris tunnel.
As reported by VT, the friction stems from an allegation Spencer makes in the book about a remark he claims the King made following Diana’s death. Spencer asserts that the monarch vowed his ex-wife would be forgotten soon enough. Spencer characterizes this alleged comment as his pent-up contempt for Diana, and his horror that the world was so bowled over by her death.
Buckingham Palace responded to these claims with a direct statement from a spokesperson, as Page Six reports. The official response noted, “His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and color memory in ways others do not recognize, even many years after such a loss.”
The book also covers the royal marriage
The upcoming book promises to be a deeply personal account of the siblings’ childhood. The synopsis describes them as inseparable, noting they secretly called one another Duch and Carlos. They navigated challenging boarding schools, difficult nannies, and the emotional toll of their parents’ divorce together. Spencer reflects on how their dynamic shifted when Diana married the man who is now King Charles III and transformed into a global icon.
Beyond the specific allegation regarding the King’s reaction to her death, the book covers significant moments in the lives of the royal family. Spencer recounts his experience during the planning of Diana’s funeral at Westminster Abbey. He claims that he received a call from an aide to the late Queen Elizabeth II just days before the service.
According to Spencer, the aide informed him that Prince William and Prince Harry, who were 15 and 12 years old at the time, would not participate in the funeral procession. Spencer says he pushed back against this plan, telling the aide, “That’s not going to happen.” Ultimately, both young princes walked in the procession alongside Spencer and the late Prince Philip.
The narrative also covers the timeline of the royal marriage, which began with the 1981 wedding at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. The couple, who shared two sons, divorced in 1996. The book touches on the public downfall of the marriage and the role of Camilla Parker-Bowles, whom Diana famously referred to as the third person in their relationship. King Charles, now 77, eventually married Camilla in 2005.
Published: Sep 18, 2026 06:15 pm