Prince William ignored questions of his uncle’s bombshell memoir on its release day, as the royal family carried out engagements as normal.
As the Prince of Wales arrived, he did not respond as a member of the press shouted: “Sir, how do you feel about your uncle’s book – have you read it?”
Earl Spencer’s highly-anticipated book has hit shelves at bookshops across the country after it was serialised with a number of claims against the King’s behaviour towards Princess Diana and after her death.
King Charles meanwhile was photographed for the first time since the release, but it appeared to be business as usual as he carried out a number of royal engagements in Scotland.
The earl claimed King Charles said “we’ll forget her soon enough” after Diana died, and “sounded giddily elated – like a lottery winner” after her death in 1997.
Buckingham Palace responded by suggesting that “fraternal grief can cloud reason”.
Meanwhile, Piers Morgan has threatened to take legal action against the earl who wrote that former Daily Mirror editor and broadcaster reportedly “snarled with annoyance” upon being informed he was no longer invited to attend Princess Diana’s funeral.
Read MorePiers Morgan ‘snarled with annoyance’ at being uninvited to Diana’s funeral over press intrusion
Harry ‘completely fine’ with Diana memoir, Earl Spencer says
Prince Harry fights back tears as he praises parents caring for seriously ill children
The top seven bombshell claims from Earl Spencer’s book so far
Diana suspected Charles had ‘nighttime tryst’ with Camilla on royal train during their courtship
Key Points
- Harry ‘completely fine’ with Diana memoir, Earl Spencer says
- King Charles seen for the first time since Swan Song's release at royal engagement
- Piers Morgan says he is taking legal action against Earl Spencer
- Spencer family plans for a private funeral were 'undermined' by the palace and Downing Street
- Earl Spencer’s Diana memoir marked at half its £28 cover price on day of launch
- Prince William ignores question about Diana book as he serves popcorn on cinema visit
Premium: If Prince Harry wants police protection, let him have it
15:31 , Bryony Gooch
If Prince Harry wants police protection, let him have it
Watch: Why is Piers Morgan threatening to sue Earl Spencer?
15:00 , Bryony GoochComment: A Prince Harry documentary about Diana is the King’s worst nightmare
14:45 , Bryony Gooch
A Prince Harry documentary about Diana is the King’s worst nightmare
Prince William ignores question about Diana book as he serves popcorn on cinema visit
14:30 , Bryony GoochThe Prince of Wales served popcorn and sold tickets to moviegoers as he celebrated grassroots cinema, but was dogged by a question about Earl Spencer’s book.
William dished out one bag of the salted treat to three regulars at ActOne Cinema in west London and when told they would share, he joked: “Are you sure? Everybody needs their own popcorn – it’s moreish.”
But he struggled with processing the tickets and as he tapped buttons on the till, under the watchful eye of staff, he told the trio: “I made this very slow, I apologise.”
The cinema is celebrating its fifth anniversary after being launched in a former library in Acton.
As William arrived, he did not respond as a member of the press shouted: “Sir, how do you feel about your uncle’s book – have you read it?”
In pictures: As Earl Spencer's Diana memoir is released, Prince William goes to the cinema
14:16 , Bryony Gooch
Watch: Piers Morgan threatens legal action over Earl Spencer claims in Diana memoir
14:00 , Bryony GoochEarl Spencer’s explosive Diana memoir slashed to half price on launch day
13:28 , Bryony Gooch
Earl Spencer’s explosive Diana memoir slashed to half price on launch day
The King focuses on renewable energy as Swan Song released to the public
13:15 , Bryony GoochThe King arrived at Peterhead Port in the north-east of Scotland as he begins a number of visits highlighting the transition to renewable energy.
Charles arrived at the Aberdeenshire port on Tuesday morning, where he will meet a number of people and organisations involved in the area’s energy ecosystem.
Much of Scotland’s offshore renewable energy industry is based around Aberdeen, which is also home to the North Sea oil and gas industry.
On the quay at Peterhead, the King will meet local members of the energy supply chain, including the Peterhead Energy Transition Forum.
He will also meet representatives of Maritime Developments Ltd, a three-time recipient of the King’s Award for Enterprise.
The company offers low-emission alternatives to traditional offshore energy equipment.
Charles will go on to meet apprentices from the Scottish Maritime Academy and pupils from Peterhead Academy.
Later, he is expected to carry out further visits in the north-east of Scotland.
Princess Michael was Diana's 'nightmare neighbour' at Kensington Palace, Earl Spencer says
13:00 , Bryony GoochEarl Spencer claimed that Princess Michael was a “nightmare neighbour” for Diana at Kensington Palace.
He said: “I saw the face of Princess Michael, whom Diana had considered her ‘nightmare neighbour’ at Kensington Palace. She had accosted my sister after she was deprived of her HRH title, and said, with feigned kindness: ‘Don’t worry, Diana – you only need tocurtsy to me when we are in public !’”
Harry ‘completely fine’ with Diana memoir, Earl Spencer says
12:57 , Maryam Zakir-HussainThe Duke of Sussex is “completely fine” with a new memoir chronicling the life of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, his uncle Earl Spencer has said.
The earl has made a series of claims about the King in Swan Song: Diana, My Sister – including that Charles said “we’ll forget her soon enough” after she died – which has prompted a war of words between him and Buckingham Palace.
Asked about telling Harry and the Prince of Wales about the book, the earl told People magazine: “I can say that Harry is completely fine about it.
“He said, I hope there’s nothing embarrassing about him in it. I said, ‘There isn’t’.
Read more here:
Harry ‘completely fine’ with Diana memoir, Earl Spencer says
Watch: Earl Spencer claims Charles said 'we'll forget her soon enough' following disagreement about funeral arrangements
12:46 , Bryony GoochIn pictures: King Charles visits Peterhead Port
12:30 , Bryony Gooch
Meghan offered Magic Radio show as Harry says she ‘loves’ station
12:10 , Bryony GoochThe Duchess of Sussex has been offered a show on her favourite radio station Magic, with the Duke of Sussex agreeing to take the idea back to his wife.
Harry, who returned to the UK with Meghan and their children last month after six years away in the US, was interviewed by the easy listening station at the WellChild Awards on Monday.
Presenter Gaby Roslin, who hosted the awards, joked with Harry, asking him during a playful exchange: “Do you want a show on Magic? … Your wife could do a show on Magic. She loves Magic.”
Harry replied: “She does love Magic. That’s true.”
Roslin added: “What show would she like to do?”
Harry remarked: “We haven’t talked about it. I can take this back to her,” before Roslin shouts: “Christmas show! Christmas show!”
The duchess told Queer Eye star Tan France on her With Love, Meghan Netflix series last year that “honestly, one of the things I miss the most about the UK is the radio station called Magic”.
Breaking: King Charles seen for the first time since Swan Song's release at royal engagement
11:42 , Bryony GoochKing Charles appears to be carrying out royal engagements as usual as Swan Song hits bookshelves across the UK.
The King could be seen wearing a kilt during a visit to Peterhead Port, Aberdeenshire, to meet organisations involved in the area's local energy ecosystem, which is helping to drive the UK's transition to clean and renewable energy.
Earl Spencer’s new book lays out a number of claims about the King’s behaviour towards his ex-wife Princess Diana during their relationship and after her tragic death.
Pictured: Earl Spencer’s Diana memoir marked at half its £28 cover price on day of launch
11:40 , Bryony GoochRecap: Diana tried to call off wedding after Charles showed 'next to no interest in her'
11:27 , Bryony GoochEarl Spencer has claimed Diana tried to call off her wedding to Charles after he showed no interest in her on the night of Prince Andrew’s 21st birthday.
He wrote: “She had been greatly looking forward to being reunited with Prince Charles, who had returned that day from an official trip to New York.
“Diana had dreamt of spending the party at Windsor Castle at her fiancé’s side. But he had shown next to no interest in her, and she – deeply hurt, confused and increasingly concerned – danced with others, including me, instead.
“Immediately after that evening of escalating heartbreak, Diana went to see my father. She told him she could not go through with marriage to a man who clearly did not love her.
“My father was appalled and said it was impossible to pull out of such an enormous commitment at that point.”
Watch: Prince Harry offered radio show on UK station Meghan 'loves'
11:25 , Bryony GoochPrince Philip was 'determined to help his motherless grandsons in their walk to the funeral' says Earl Spencer
10:58 , Bryony GoochEarl Spencer revealed that Prince Philip’s demeanour changed at Princess Diana’s funeral as he was “determined” to help his grandsons walk in the procession.
He writes in the book: “Prince Philip was there, his usual gruffness replaced by a calm and quiet kindness. He was clearly determined to help his motherless grandsons in their walk to the funeral, and he Prince Charles tried to take charge, having seemingly thought hard about the formation that the five of us chief mourners would adopt behind Diana.
“When he said, ‘Now, I will walk in the centre, with William on my right and Harry on my left’, Prince Philip overruled him in an even voice that closed down any possible dissent.
“‘No, that isn’t how we will do it. Charles,’ he said, nodding towards me, ‘is representing his sister and their family, so he will walk in the middle, with William and Harry either side of him, and you,’ he said, talking to his eldest son, ‘and I will be on the outside flanks.’ Prince Charles looked pained but capitulated to his father’s authority without a word.”
This book is Diana’s unfinished business – Harry’s film will finish it
10:40 , Bryony Gooch
This book is Diana’s unfinished business – Harry’s documentary will finish it
Watch: Moment Prince Harry is asked 'have you spoken to your uncle' as he arrives at awards
10:20 , Bryony GoochSpencer family plans for a private funeral were 'undermined' by the palace and Downing Street, claims Earl Spencer
10:01 , Bryony GoochEarl Spencer has claimed that plans for a private funeral for Princess Diana were undermined by both Buckingham Palace and Downing Street.
In his book, the Viscount Althorp says that some family members “were angry, and protective, feeling we had lent Diana to the world for a decade and a half, and that that sacrifice had ended in the darkest of tragedies.
“I originally thought I would be giving my eulogy in front of three or four hundred people. My family very much wanted a small, private funeral,” he wrote.
“Now, it seemed to us, was the time for us to reclaim her broken body, for quiet and dignified committal and safekeeping. This, we felt, should be as we saw fit, and certainly in private.
“Such a thought was quickly undermined by Buckingham Palace, working quietly with the prime minister’s Downing Street office. Both institutions were concerned that our wish for a family funeral might either be seen as the Spencers daring openly to insult the royals or, more problematic, in terms of PR , as a royal conspiracy: one that perpetuated the Windsors’ animosity towards Diana in life by denying her the sad magnificence of some form of state funeral.”
Piers Morgan is suing Earl Spencer over ‘demonstrable lies’ in Princess Diana book
09:44 , Bryony Gooch
Piers Morgan says he is suing Earl Spencer over ‘damning lies’ in Princess Diana book
In pictures: Swan Song hits shelves - half price off
09:33 , Bryony Gooch
Earl Spencer recalls 'sudden outburst' from Prince Philip directed at the late Queen
09:20 , Bryony GoochEarl Spencer recalls a “sudden outburst” of Prince Philip towards the late Queen at the state opening of parliament in 1977.
While he describes the late Queen as presenting “an immaculate front” as she “never put a foot wrong”, he said that the late Duke of Edinburgh was “more controversial, because of occasional brusque utterances, which came from an era before racial sensitivities were properly understood.”
He claims in the book: The Queen’s husband had yet to reach the stage where his great age led people to make allowances for eccentricity. He was, to many, a forbidding figure, as I had witnessed.
“One morning in 1977, when serving as a Page of Honour to the Queen at the State Opening of Parliament, I had been shocked at the bite in a sudden outburst he had directed at his wife. She had accepted it with quiet and embarrassed resignation.”
Recap: Diana's 'revulsion' at Mohamed Fayed
09:12 , Bryony GoochEarl Spencer has claimed that his sister Diana disliked Mohamed Fayed, father to her partner Dodi.
In the years since the Princess of Wales’ death, a Metropolitan Police investigation is looking into accusations of sexual assault made against Fayed, who died in 2023.
A passage of Swan Song reads: “Diana disliked Mohamed Fayed. She told me with revulsion how, early in her romance with Dodi, Mohamed had come up to her, dropped a hand onto her buttocks and squeezed them while saying in a leery, suggestive tone, ‘And in Egypt, father- in- law gets first go . . .’
“She laughed when recounting the ghastliness of the episode, but she had been alerted to who Dodi’s father really was.”
Charles was 'always extremely jealous of Diana's star power'
09:01 , Bryony GoochEarl Spencer claimed that King Charles was “always extremely jealous of Diana’s star power” in his newly published book.
In one passage, he says: “While most husbands would have been delighted and proud to have married someone who had turned out to be such an asset for him and his royal brand, the prince was always extremely jealous of Diana’s star power.
“That much had been clear since the day in Sydney, in 1983, when Diana’s huge popularity with the Australian crowd had riled her husband.
“Diana craved his support and approval as – still only twenty- one years old, a new mother, and on her first major overseas tour – she tried to learn how best to perform her royal duties. But she was instead met with an envy that she found perplexing and unfair.”
Charles' aide never forgave him for 'double dealing' with Diana, Earl Spencer claims
08:52 , Bryony GoochEarl Spencer has claimed that one of King Charles’ former palace aides took him aside at an event in London last year and said he would never forgive him for what he did to Diana.
“’I love the monarchy,’ he said, by way of preamble, ‘and I will always serve the Crown with total loyalty. I am also a great admirer of the King, in many ways. But I will never forgive him for what he did to your dear sister when marrying her. It was double- dealing, pure and simple.’”
As Swan Song hits bookshelves, here are some of the emerging lines...
08:46 , Bryony GoochAfter a week of anticipation over Earl Spencer’s biography of his sister Princess Diana, Swan Song has been published. While it has already caused controversy over accusations against King Charles and the late Queen, Earl Spencer has leveled further allegations against Piers Morgan and more.
Here are some of Earl Spencer’s most recent claims...
- Piers Morgan reportedly “snarled with annoyance” upon being informed he was no longer invited to attend Princess Diana’s funeral, Earl Spencer has claimed.
- Princess Diana had suspected King Charles of having a secret tryst with Camilla Parker-Bowles on the royal train, just months before their wedding, her brother’s memoir claims.
- Diana told him Mohamed al-Fayed had “dropped a hand onto her buttocks and squeezed them”, early in her romance with his son Dodi Fayed.
Watch: Piers Morgan threatens legal action over Earl Spencer claims in Diana memoir
08:40 , Bryony GoochRoyal Family carry out engagements as normal as Swan Song comes out
08:20 , Bryony GoochAs Swan Song is set to be released in book shops today, the Royal Family will carry out engagements as normal.
The King is expected to carry out engagements in Scotland from this morning, while at 4.15pm Prince William and Princess Catherine will attend the world premiere of Digger in Leicester Square.
Earl Spencer's book hits shelves
07:33 , Bryony GoochEarl Spencer’s book Swan Song: Diana, My Sister has been published.
The work by Charles Spencer tells the story of his sister Diana, Princess of Wales’s life and death. The book, described as containing “many revelations that will draw considerable attention”, was highly anticipated following the serialisation in The Mail.
It comes ahead of the 30th anniversary of the princess’ death next year.
Earl Spencer says Prince Harry hoped there was 'nothing embarrassing about him' in the book
07:25 , Bryony GoochEarl Spencer said that he told Prince William and Harry at the same time and that the latter was “completely fine” about it.
"I told them exactly the same time. And I can say that Harry is completely fine about it,” he told People.
“He said, I hope there’s nothing embarrassing about him in it. I said, 'There isn’t.' I think they were actually worried where I was going up to with the book."
Watch: Earl Spencer tears up when asked if he misses Diana as he doubles down on claims about King
07:00 , Daniel HaygarthComment: If Prince Harry wants police protection, let him have it
05:00 , Dan HaygarthAs Charles Spencer adds his voice to the Sussexes’ campaign for a security detail, Alexander Larman says, in a world where Liz Truss gets taxpayer-funded protection for life, it seems churlish not to extend it to Diana’s youngest son.
Read more below.
If Prince Harry wants police protection, let him have it
Harry ‘completely fine’ with Diana memoir, Earl Spencer says
04:00 , Dan HaygarthThe Duke of Sussex is “completely fine” with a new memoir chronicling the life of his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, his uncle Earl Spencer has said.
The earl has made a series of claims about the King in Swan Song: Diana, My Sister – including that Charles said “we’ll forget her soon enough” after she died – which has prompted a war of words between him and Buckingham Palace.
A palace spokesman said last week that the King is “mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise”.
Asked about telling Harry and the Prince of Wales about the book, the earl told People magazine: “I can say that Harry is completely fine about it.
“He said, I hope there’s nothing embarrassing about him in it. I said, ‘There isn’t’.
“I think they were actually worried where I was going up to with the book.
“It pretty much ends in 1997 with Diana’s death, and there’s a tiny postscript by the grave.
“So I think there was this, ‘Gosh, what’s he written about?’ And I think it’s natural that people so in the public eye are concerned how they will come across in the book.
“But I could reassure both of them that they’re of course in the book, but really as examples of two little boys who had the most exceptional mother, I’m not in any way compromising their privacy at all.”
What is Earl Spencer's relationship with William and Harry?
03:00 , Dan HaygarthEarl Spencer has remained outwardly close with Prince Harry over the years amid the Duke of Sussex’s strained relations with the Windsors, while his relationship with his nephew Prince William remains a lot more private.
The earl said in an interview with the BBC that he did not take sides in the row between the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex.
He told the BBC: “I’m on my deceased sister’s sons’ side, both of them.
“And if either of them wanted anything then I’d be equally there for them.
“And I never get involved in one camp or the other, except as a benign figure I hope.”
Earl Spencer said there are a “lot of reasons on both sides” why the brothers’ relationship had “got to this stage”.
He added: “I hope one day it’s resolved, but I don’t know all – I certainly don’t know what’s been done in the finer detail and so I would feel intrusive if I got more involved than to say of course a mother would want her two sons to be happy together and love each other.”
In full: Prince Harry fights back tears as he praises parents caring for seriously ill children
02:00 , Dan HaygarthThe Duke of Sussex became emotional as he praised "mums and dads" looking after seriously ill children during the WellChild awards.
Harry fought back tears during a speech at the conclusion of the ceremony, which recognised young people living life to the full despite complex medical needs, as he publicly acknowledged the effort of their parents.
Read more:
Harry fights back tears as he praises parents caring for seriously ill children
Moment Prince Harry is asked 'have you spoken to your uncle' as he arrives at awards
01:00 , Dan HaygarthEarl Spencer did “not really” have any fear about writing so candidly about Charles
Tuesday 22 September 2026 00:00 , Dan HaygarthThe earl admitted to “concern” about how William and Harry would feel about his portrayal of their father, but added he is “not here” to write a “scandalous book” about the King.
He told the magazine he did “not really” have any fear about writing so candidly about Charles.
“I respect the institution of the Crown, and I know that most people in Britain do, especially the older generation, but when I’m writing this book, I’m not interested in who people are in terms of status,” he added.
“I’m looking at them as people. And the central person, the only one that really matters, is Diana.”
The earl said he believes his sister would have liked the book.
“She always loved it when I paid compliments, and this is 350 pages of compliments,” he said.
The latest: What we know ahead of the release of Earl Spencer's book
Tuesday 22 September 2026 00:00 , Alex CroftEarl Spencer’s bombshell memoir is set to be released on Tuesday after a week of allegations being released through serialisation in The Mail.
So far, the Earl has made claims about King Charles’ behaviour around his ex-wife’s death before he was king.
These include:
- The then-prince said “we’ll forget her soon enough” after Diana died in a “stream of anger” after the Earl protested to the idea that William and Harry should walk in the procession.
- Charles “sounded giddily elated – like a lottery winner” in a phone call to the Earl following Diana’s car crash.
- The Earl also told of his memories of the funeral, and his concern for Harry, after he observed a “lack of obvious care” for the then 12-year-old prince.
Earl Spencer has also spoken to the BBC where he doubled down on claims made in the memoir.
He also opened up about the Martin Bashir scandal and Diana’s relationship with the disgraced former owner of Harrods, Mohammed Al Fayed, father of her partner Dodi.
The latest: What we know so far about Earl Spencer's book
Monday 21 September 2026 23:43 , Dan HaygarthEarl Spencer’s bombshell memoir has been released after a week of allegations being released through serialisation in The Mail.
So far, the Earl has made claims about King Charles’ behaviour around his ex-wife’s death before he was king.
These include:
- The then-prince said “we’ll forget her soon enough” after Diana died in a “stream of anger” after the Earl protested to the idea that William and Harry should walk in the procession.
- Charles “sounded giddily elated – like a lottery winner” in a phone call to the Earl following Diana’s car crash.
- The Earl also told of his memories of the funeral, and his concern for Harry, after he observed a “lack of obvious care” for the then 12-year-old prince.
Earl Spencer has also spoken to the BBC where he doubled down on claims made in the memoir.
He also opened up about the Martin Bashir scandal and Diana’s relationship with the disgraced former owner of Harrods, Mohammed Al Fayed, father of her partner Dodi.
What is Earl Spencer's relationship with William and Harry?
Monday 21 September 2026 23:00 , Alex CroftEarl Spencer has remained outwardly close with Prince Harry over the years amid the Duke of Sussex’s strained relations with the Windsors, while his relationship with his nephew Prince William remains a lot more private.
The earl said in an interview with the BBC that he did not take sides in the row between the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex.
He told the BBC: “I’m on my deceased sister’s sons’ side, both of them.
“And if either of them wanted anything then I’d be equally there for them.
“And I never get involved in one camp or the other, except as a benign figure I hope.”
Earl Spencer said there are a “lot of reasons on both sides” why the brothers’ relationship had “got to this stage”.
He added: “I hope one day it’s resolved, but I don’t know all – I certainly don’t know what’s been done in the finer detail and so I would feel intrusive if I got more involved than to say of course a mother would want her two sons to be happy together and love each other.”
Pictures: Prince Harry attends WellChild Awards
Monday 21 September 2026 22:01 , Lucy Leeson
Prince Harry in talks to make new Princess Diana documentary - report
Monday 21 September 2026 21:29 , Alex CroftPrince Harry is in talks to make a new documentary about his mother Princess Diana marking the 30th anniversary of her death next year.
The Duke of Sussex is “considering the most meaningful way to honour her legacy during this important anniversary year”, a source close to Prince Harry told The Telegraph.
The documentary would be produced by Archewell Productions, the Sussexes’ production company, and would likely be bought by Netflix due to a ‘first-look’ deal between the companies, the outlet reported.
“The Duke has discussed a number of possible projects to mark the 30th anniversary of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales’s passing,” the source said, adding that “nothing has been finalised or confirmed”.
Prince Harry fights back tears as he hails 'mums and dads' caring for seriously ill youngsters during WellChild awards
Monday 21 September 2026 21:00 , Lucy LeesonThe Duke of Sussex fought back the tears as he hailed “mums and dads” caring for seriously ill youngsters during the WellChild awards.
Harry welled up when he publicly acknowledged their efforts during a speech at the end of the ceremony that recognised and rewarded youngsters living life to the full despite complex medical needs.
In a speech to recipients, their families and some of the WellChild nurses, Harry became emotional after saying: “To all the mums and dads – most of us will never truly know the emotional ups and downs of your day.”
He had broken down during his 2019 WellChild speech when host Gaby Roslin was on hand to support him and six years later she came to the duke’s side after he said “It’s happening again” then joked as she held his arm “that doesn’t help, that makes it worse”.
The duke finished his tribute to parents: “But I sincerely hope that you take strength from nights like this.
“And while we may not know the detail of your day, in this room and beyond, we recognise the commitment of your care and all that comes with it.”
Piers Morgan says he is taking legal action
Monday 21 September 2026 20:16 , Dan HaygarthPiers Morgan says he is taking legal action against Earl Spencer.
BREAKING: I am taking legal action against Earl Spencer and his publishers over demonstrable lies he has written about me in his new book, which call into question his credibility as a supposed ‘historian’ .
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) September 21, 2026
Full details to follow on tonight’s @PiersUncensored
Why is he writing this book now?
Monday 21 September 2026 20:15 , Dan HaygarthSpeaking about the book last month, he said: “With the 30th anniversary of Diana’s tragic death on the skyline, I’ve been inundated yet again with requests for interviews about my sister.
“This has convinced me to write down my own thoughts and memories, once and for all, rather than having the discomfort of again reading the opinions of others, many of which are based on untruths that have become accepted over time.
“The aim of this book is to tell the truth about Diana from her brother’s perspective, just as I attempted to do when speaking at her funeral.
“As with my eulogy, I want to speak on Diana’s behalf and do so in an openly positive way.
“I hope this book will be of interest to the many who still cherish the memory of Diana when she was alive, and I would be delighted if those too young to remember her in her heyday feel – after reading this – that they ‘get’ who she really was: a one-off dynamic character, full of love, charisma and self-doubt, who gave life a hell of a go, and left the world a better place, despite exiting the stage while still so young.”
What has Earl Spencer said about the palace’s response?
Monday 21 September 2026 19:45 , Dan HaygarthEarl Spencer accused the King of gaslighting him after Buckingham Palace pushed back against the explosive claims.
The earl accused the King of gaslighting him and called the response a “rather poor imitation of the ‘recollections may vary’ quote” – the late Queen’s response to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s allegations in their Oprah Winfrey interview, The Mail on Sunday reports.
He said: “It is not every day you wake up to find you’ve been gaslit by the King.
“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.
“I also thought it was a rather poor imitation of the ‘recollections may vary’ quote, which was a much more elegant way of putting things, but in these circumstances entirely out of place.”
Meanwhile, the Earl told the BBC: “Well, is he furious or is he embarrassed? Because I can tell you here and now, those are exactly the words he said.
“I’ve only ever had two calls on the line with Prince Charles at any stage of my life. I was hyper alert to what he was saying, and those are precisely the words he said. And I promise that to you now. Genuinely, that is what he said. I don’t hear him saying he didn’t say that.”
What are the claims in Earl Spencer’s book?
Monday 21 September 2026 19:15 , Dan HaygarthA number of claims have been made, including that Charles said “we’ll forget her soon enough” after Diana died.
According to a book excerpt, which is being serialised in the Daily Mail, one of Queen Elizabeth II’s senior aides told the earl that William and Harry were to walk in the funeral procession, prompting the earl to state “that’s not going to happen”.
Charles called minutes later and told him that 18 years earlier, he had walked in the funeral procession of his great-uncle, Lord Mountbatten, it is claimed.
The earl pointed out that Charles had been 30 at the time of Lord Mountbatten’s funeral in 1979.
In an book excerpt, the Earl claims: “Prince Charles continued his stream of anger, without me interrupting. Then he stopped.
“I assumed the pause signalled an effort to bring himself under control, but then he unleashed down the phone what I have always taken to be his pent-up contempt for Diana, and his horror that the world was so bowled over by her death. ‘Rest assured’, he hissed, ‘we’ll forget her soon enough!’”
The earl says he then hung up the phone.
Also, in excerpts from Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, Earl Spencer spoke of how Charles’s phone call following the car crash in 1997 “all sounded strangely matter-of-fact”.
One passage read: “Unlike my other callers, who were stunned, barely able to articulate their condolences and offers of help, he sounded giddily elated – like a lottery winner, I remember thinking at the time.
“He let me know he had informed William and Harry of their mother’s death, first thing that morning, in their bedrooms at Balmoral.
“It all sounded strangely matter-of-fact, given the enormity of the disaster.
“Looking back now, I suspect the prince’s first reaction must have been to think more of how this event might free him to marry the woman he loved, rather than appreciating the loss of one he did not.”
In another extract of the earl’s book serialised in the Daily Mail, Earl Spencer told of his memories of the funeral, and his concern for Harry, after he observed a “lack of obvious care” for the then 12-year-old prince.
How did the King respond?
In response to the claims made in the memoir, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said on Wednesday: “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.”
Watch: Earl Spencer claims Charles said 'we'll forget her soon enough' following disagreement about funeral arrangements
Monday 21 September 2026 17:00 , Bryony GoochThe top five bombshell claims from Earl Spencer’s book so far
Monday 21 September 2026 16:40 , Bryony Gooch
The top five bombshell claims from Earl Spencer’s book so far
Recap: Diana would have 'applauded' book, says Earl Spencer
Monday 21 September 2026 16:20 , Bryony GoochEarl Spencer told the Mail on Sunday he believes his sister would have applauded his book following criticism over his claims over King Charles.
“I can tell you that Diana would be cheering from the rafters at this book, I have no doubt about that,” he said.
“She loved it when we stuck up for one another and I really felt it when I read my eulogy to her privately in a chapel before her funeral.
“I sensed so strongly that day that she would have applauded those words and I feel equally strongly today that she would be fully behind this book.”
Recap: Earl Spencer accuses King Charles of gaslighting
Monday 21 September 2026 16:01 , Bryony GoochEarl Spencer has accused the palace of gaslighting him. In an interview in The Mail on Sunday, he said: "It is not every day you wake up to find you've been gaslit by the King.
"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.
"I also thought it was a rather poor imitation of the 'recollections may vary' quote, which was a much more elegant way of putting things, but in these circumstances entirely out of place."
Recap: Earl Spencer felt it was his ‘duty’ to write memoir on life of Diana
Monday 21 September 2026 15:50 , Bryony GoochEarl Spencer felt it was his “duty… as an eyewitness to history” to write a new memoir chronicling the life of his sister, which has included a series of damning claims about the King.
It comes after the earl accused the King of gaslighting him after Buckingham Palace pushed back against explosive claims that Charles said “we’ll forget her soon enough” after Diana, Princess of Wales, died.
The earl has made a series of claims about the King in a new memoir chronicling the life of his sister Diana that prompted the response from Buckingham Palace, which said “the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason”.
On his motivations for writing the book, the earl told the BBC it was his “duty… as an eyewitness to history”.
He said: “I’m aware of mortality and I wanted to just put things down once and for all that were true.
“This is not a threat, it’s a fact, I know lots of things about the King which I chose not to include in the book because they were not relevant.”
Meghan won’t accompany Harry to WellChild Awards ceremony in London
Monday 21 September 2026 15:29 , Bryony Gooch
Meghan won’t accompany Harry to WellChild Awards ceremony in London
