Earl Spencer’s memoir claims Prince Charles made disparaging remarks about Diana after her death

Consensus Summary

Earl Spencer’s upcoming memoir, *Swan Song: Diana, My Sister*, has reignited controversy by alleging that Prince Charles—now King Charles III—made a callous remark about his late wife, Diana, Princess of Wales, shortly after her death in 1997. According to both the *Guardian* and *ABC*, Spencer claims Charles told him, 'Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough,' during a heated dispute over funeral arrangements. The remark, if true, would mark a stark contrast to the public mourning that followed Diana’s tragic passing at the age of 36, as the world mourned the loss of one of its most beloved figures.

The book’s publication this month comes nearly 30 years after Diana’s death, with serialization beginning in the UK by *Penguin Michael Joseph*. The alleged incident occurred during arguments over whether Diana’s sons, William and Harry—then aged 15 and 12, respectively—should walk behind her coffin in the funeral procession. Spencer, who delivered her eulogy in Westminster Abbey in September 1997, insists the memoir aims to 'tell the truth about Diana from her brother’s perspective,' rather than repeating the opinions of others. The timing of the release coincides with the 30th anniversary of her death, prompting renewed media interest.

Key figures in the story include Earl Spencer, who has faced criticism for his claims, and King Charles III, who has responded through a Buckingham Palace spokesperson. The palace statement acknowledges that 'the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment, and color memory,' suggesting the alleged remark may have been influenced by Charles’s emotional state at the time. Meanwhile, Spencer has emphasized his desire to speak on Diana’s behalf, framing the book as a corrective to previous narratives. The *Daily Mail* and *Mail Online* have played a central role in reporting the claims, with the *Guardian* noting that four copies of the Dutch edition were stolen en route to distribution.

While both sources agree on the core allegations and the book’s publication, there are minor discrepancies in framing. The *Guardian* highlights the theft of the Dutch edition and Diana’s hypothetical 65th birthday on 1 July this year, whereas the *ABC* focuses on her status as the 'most photographed woman in the world' after marrying Charles in 1981. The *Guardian* also specifies that Diana’s death occurred in a car crash in Paris, though the *ABC* does not mention the location. These differences, however, do not undermine the central consensus: that Spencer’s memoir is set to resurface long-standing tensions over Charles’s role in Diana’s life and legacy.

The book’s release has already sparked a public response, with Buckingham Palace issuing a rare statement to address the allegations. Spencer, for his part, has framed the memoir as an act of closure, aiming to provide his own account of Diana’s life and the events surrounding her death. As serialization begins, the story is likely to dominate headlines, particularly given the sensitivity of the topic and the involvement of the British royal family. The unresolved question remains whether the alleged remark will further damage Charles’s reputation or whether the palace’s defense of his emotional state will suffice to mitigate the controversy.