Full Breakdown
Earl Spencer’s New Memoir Revives Controversy Over King Charles’s Remarks After Diana’s Death
By Drooid · · How we work
The Alleged Phone Call and Its Fallout
In his forthcoming memoir *Swan Song: Diana, My Sister*, Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, claims King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, told him “we’ll forget her soon enough” during a heated telephone exchange about whether Princes William and Harry should walk behind their mother’s coffin. Spencer says the comment was made after the car crash that killed Diana, Princess of Wales on 31 August 1997 and before the funeral on 5 September 1997. He describes the king’s response as “gaslighting.”
Background & Context
Diana’s death in Paris sparked a national outpouring of grief and intense scrutiny of the royal family’s public response. The funeral procession on 5 September 1997 featured the teenage princes walking behind their mother’s coffin, a decision Spencer says he opposed. The Spencer family has long been critical of the monarchy; Earl Spencer delivered a defiant eulogy at Diana’s funeral and has repeatedly questioned the royal household’s handling of his sister’s legacy.
Timeline
- 31 August 1997 – Diana dies in a Paris car crash.
- 5 September 1997 – State funeral; princes walk behind the coffin.
- 26 August – Spencer told the BBC he disclosed the king’s alleged comment “because it was so monstrous.”
- Upcoming week – *Swan Song* is scheduled for publication.
Data & Statistics
- Spencer states he has spoken with Prince Charles only twice in his lifetime.
- At the funeral, Prince William was 15 and Prince Harry was 12.
Official Statements & Responses
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson issued a forceful statement, emphasizing that “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.” The palace declined further comment on the specific allegations.
Criticism & Opposition
Spencer characterises the king’s alleged remark as “monstrous” and accuses the monarch of “gaslighting” him. He insists he is “telling the truth” and that he shared the story with close friends and family immediately after the call.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Spencer’s account describes Charles as sounding “giddily elated” and delivering the line with a “hiss.” The palace’s response attributes any discrepancy to grief-clouded memory, leaving the precise content of the phone call unverified. No independent recordings or third-party witnesses have been presented, and the memoir’s claims remain contested.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I can tell you here and now, those are exactly the words he said.” — Earl Spencer
- “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.” — Buckingham Palace spokesperson