A controversial memoir claims Charles celebrated Diana’s death, while the palace pushes back and former officials label the story hogwash.
The upcoming memoir titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister promises to reshape public memory of the 1997 tragedy. In it, the ninth Earl Spencer asserts that King Charles sounded giddily elated during a telephone call after learning of Princess Diana’s death.
According to Spencer, the monarch’s tone resembled that of a lottery winner a description that has ignited a fresh controversy surrounding the royal family’s conduct during that dark week.
Spencer recounts being alerted to the fatal crash on 31 August 1997 by his sister Jane from Cape Town, South Africa.
Within hours, Charles called the Earl, informing him that the princes had been told of their mother’s death in their Balmoral bedrooms. The Earl writes that, unlike other callers who were stunned, Charles “sounded giddily elated – like a lottery winner, I remember thinking at the time.” He also attributes a chilling line to the king: “rest assured, we’ll forget Diana soon enough.” The book further claims that Charles mentioned informing Prince William and Prince Harry first thing that morning, despite their parents’ divorce in August 1996.
Royal household’s official rebuttal
Buckingham Palace issued a statement rejecting the memoir’s credibility, emphasizing that grief can “cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss.” The palace stopped short of commenting on the book itself, citing a standard policy of non-engagement with unpublished works. Nevertheless, the response underscores the institution’s concern that the allegations could reshape public perception of the late Princess’s legacy.
Comments from former royal aides and media figures
Former press secretary Dickie Arbiter, who served Queen Elizabeth II during the period in question, dismissed the Earl’s account as “hogwash,” insisting that Charles was “devastated at the time” and that such remarks contradict his character. Royal commentator Jennie Bond offered a more measured view, noting that “there are usually two sides to a conversation and a story.” She did not endorse the claims but acknowledged the memoir reflects Spencer’s personal recollection.
Parallel events and the broader context
Amid the resurfaced dispute, Prince Harry made a public appearance at the inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards in Greenwich, marking his first engagement since returning to the United Kingdom. The duke posed for photographs with veterans and delivered a speech, an appearance that briefly shifted media focus away from the memoir controversy.
Spencer’s narrative also touches on Diana’s earlier marriage, recalling a July 1981 anecdote in which Charles allegedly told her he was “very happy to marry her, but… not actually in love with her.” He adds that both spouses often despised each other and that Diana suffered from what he believes to be attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and rejection-sensitive dysphoria. According to Spencer, the princess contemplated suicide on several occasions but was held back by love for her sons.
The memoir, slated for release in the coming weeks, promises to spark further debate about the royal family’s handling of the tragedy and the long-standing tensions between the Spencer and Windsor families. Whether the public will view these revelations as a vindication of Earl Spencer’s perspective or as an unwelcome intrusion into private grief remains to be seen.
