Full Breakdown
Earl Spencer’s Memoir Revives a Controversial Claim About King Charles’s Reaction to Diana’s Death
By Drooid · · How we work
The Alleged “Forget Her Soon Enough” Comment
The claim appears in excerpts serialized by the *Daily Mail* and has triggered a forceful response from Buckingham Palace.
Background & Context
Diana Princess of Wales died in a Paris car crash on 31 August 1997. Her funeral on 6 September 1997 featured her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, walking behind her coffin—a decision Spencer later contested, insisting Diana would not have wanted the boys to make the public walk. Spencer’s memoir, written to “correct untruths” about his sister, revisits the family rift that began after Diana’s 1996 divorce from Charles and intensified after her death. The book is scheduled for global release on 22 September.
Timeline
- 20 May 1964 – Birth of Charles Edward Maurice Spencer, later the 9th Earl Spencer.
- 31 August 1997 – Diana’s death in Paris.
- 6 September 1997 – Diana’s funeral; William and Harry walk behind the coffin.
- 22 September – Publication of *Swan Song: Diana, My Sister* (scheduled).
Data & Statistics
- Prince William was 15 and Prince Harry 12 when they walked behind Diana’s coffin.
- Four copies of the Dutch-language edition were reported stolen from a transport truck en route to the Netherlands.
Official Statements & Responses
The palace said it does not comment on books as a matter of principle and suggested that Spencer’s recollection may be affected by grief-related memory distortion. The statement was issued within an hour of the first *Daily Mail* excerpt.
Verbatim Quotes
- “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.” — palace official
- “I can tell you here and now, those are exactly the words he said.” — palace official
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Spencer maintains that the exact words were spoken, stating, “I can tell you here and now, those are exactly the words he said,” and that he “was hyper-alert” to the King’s tone. The palace disputes the accuracy of the recollection, attributing any discrepancy to the “pain of fraternal grief” that may cloud memory. BBC journalists have not seen the full manuscript, and no independent audio record of the alleged call exists, leaving the claim unverified beyond Spencer’s personal account. The divergent narratives illustrate an unresolved dispute over how the royal family handled Diana’s death and the subsequent public perception.