King Charles Faces Rare Palace Rebuttal Over Alleged 1997 Remark in Earl Spencer’s Memoir

Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer and younger brother of the late Princess Diana, will publish *Swan Song: Diana, My Sister* on September 22, 2026. In a Daily Mail preview, Spencer says that days after Diana’s fatal crash on August 31, 1997, he received a heated phone call from the then-Prince of Wales. The claim has drawn an unusually forceful response from Buckingham Palace.

Express TribuneNine.com.auPage SixUSA TodayPage SixAssociated PressKing Charles' 'horror' at world's grief over Princess Diana's death detailed in Charles Spencer's memoir: 'We'll forget her soon enough'

Princess Diana died in a Paris car crash in 1997, prompting a massive public outpouring of grief. At her funeral on September 6, 1997, her sons Prince William and Prince Harry walked behind her coffin—a decision Spencer says he opposed, arguing Diana would not have wanted her children to endure the ordeal. Spencer’s memoir is the first extensive account of Diana from her brother’s perspective; he previously delivered a eulogistic speech at the funeral and has long criticized the royal family’s handling of her death. The book arrives as the 30th anniversary of Diana’s death approaches, a period during which Spencer says he has been “inundated” with interview requests.

Associated PressNine.com.auBuckingham Palace hits back at claims in Princess Diana book Page SixPage SixCharles Spencer’s Explosive New Book About Diana Elicits Rare Response From King Charles

In the week before the scheduled release, four copies of the Dutch-language edition of *Swan Song* were reported stolen from a delivery truck in the Netherlands. Publishing sources described the theft as “highly suspicious” and unprecedented for a memoir of this scale.

Copies of Earl Spencer’s unreleased Princess Diana book stolen in Netherlands

The palace’s wording mirrors language previously used by Queen Elizabeth II in 2021 when addressing allegations of racism within the royal family. No direct confirmation or denial of the specific wording attributed to Charles was offered; the statement instead casts doubt on Spencer’s recollection.

Hollywood Reporter

• “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,” — Charles Spencer

People Magazine

• “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,” — Charles Spencer

NewsNation

• “I was just so worried — what a trauma for a little chap to walk behind his mum’s body,” — King Charles, spokesperson

People Magazine

The dispute revives longstanding tensions between the Spencer family and the Windsors, highlighting divergent narratives about Diana’s death and the royal family’s response. By publicly challenging a claim that suggests the king dismissed Diana’s legacy, the palace risks reopening criticism of its handling of the 1997 tragedy. The memoir’s release and the surrounding controversy may shape media coverage of the upcoming 30th-anniversary commemorations and influence public perception of the monarchy’s empathy and transparency.

Associated Press