Palace rebuts Earl Spencer's claim King Charles dismissed Diana

Buckingham Palace has issued a rare and unprecedented statement in response to explosive claims made by Earl Spencer in his upcoming memoir, alleging that King Charles made a dismissive comment about Princess Diana shortly after her death in 1997. The palace's intervention marks a significant departure from its usual policy of not commenting on books. In excerpts from his memoir "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister," set for release on September 22, 2026, Earl Spencer claims that during a heated phone call in the days following Diana's death, then-Prince Charles told him, "Rest assured, we'll forget her soon enough!" The argument reportedly centered on whether Princes William and Harry, then aged 15 and 12, should walk behind their mother's coffin during the funeral procession, a decision Spencer opposed. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson responded on Wednesday, stating, "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.