Charles Spencer's New Memoir Details Heated Arguments With King Charles III

Decades after the death of Princess Diana, her brother Charles Spencer has published a memoir titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister.

A deeply personal and contentious new book by the brother of the late Princess Diana went on sale to the public, immediately reopening decades-old grievances within the British royal family. Charles Spencer’s memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, takes direct aim at Diana’s ex-husband, now King Charles III, detailing bitter phone calls, historical tensions, and fierce disagreements surrounding the 1997 funeral of the Princess of Wales.

Explosive Claims About King Charles and the 1997 Funeral

The release of the memoir follows a series of damaging serialised excerpts published in the Daily Mail. Among the most incendiary allegations in the book is an account of a heated telephone conversation between Charles Spencer and the then-Prince Charles immediately following Diana’s fatal car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997. Spencer writes that the future king sounded giddily elated — like a lottery winner during the call, suspecting that Charles viewed the tragedy as an event that might free him to marry the woman he loved rather than mourning a loss.

Charles Spencer's New Memoir Details Heated Arguments With King Charles III — Photo: cheatsheet.com

The memoir also details a furious argument over palace plans requiring Prince William and Prince Harry—then 12 and 15 years old—to walk behind their mother’s coffin during the funeral procession. Spencer maintains he told the then-prince that Diana would never have wanted her sons to endure such an ordeal. According to the book, the future monarch went ballistic during the exchange.

“Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.”

King Charles III, cited by Charles Spencer in Swan Song: Diana, My Sister via The Hindu Business Line

Spencer interprets the comment as pent-up contempt finally breaking through the royal facade, noting that the prince was horrified by the sheer volume of global grief directed at his late ex-wife.

Buckingham Palace’s Rare Pre-emptive Response

The palace took the unusual step of issuing a statement before the book even hit shelves—a direct rebuttal that did not occur even when Prince Harry published his memoir, Spare, in 2023. Buckingham Palace addressed the mounting public friction with a tightly worded message.

“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 recognize, even many years after such a loss.”

Buckingham Palace spokesperson, via The Hindu Business Line and NBC News

When questioned about the royal reaction during media appearances, Spencer told the Good Morning America program that he felt gaslit by the king, while noting that the statement doesn’t say that he didn’t say it either. Speaking separately to the BBC, Spencer defended his decision to write the book, asking whether the royal rebuttal stemmed from pure fury or deep embarrassment.

Parallels Drawn Between Media Treatment of Diana and Meghan Markle

Beyond historical grievances, Spencer utilized the press tour for his memoir to draw sharp comparisons between the intense tabloid scrutiny his sister endured and the media environment surrounding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The commentary arrives as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex navigate ongoing tensions with the royal establishment following their departure from working royal duties in 2020.

Piers Morgan blasts Princess Diana's brother over book 'LIES' in exclusive interview

In an interview with the BBC, Spencer stated that tabloid coverage targeting Harry and Meghan can be exceptionally unpleasant. If you look at an article in a tabloid about Diana or the couple that you’re mentioning, Harry and Meghan, they can be really, really unpleasant. I think it would be really beholden on people to learn from Diana’s example, he said, warning that daily criticism is capable of devastating lives.

Spencer further noted that despite Diana’s outward privilege, she shed tears of despair under the weight of unrelenting public attention. Seeing similar pressures directed at his nephew, he added, I suppose it’s a pity when I see echoes of that now.

Althorp Estate Visits and Institutional Backlash

The ties between the Spencer family and the Sussexes have grown increasingly visible. Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, recently visited the family’s Althorp estate to visit Diana’s private grave after alternative lodging plans at Buckingham Palace fell through due to scheduling issues. Meghan subsequently shared images from the visit on social media, prompting swift division among royal commentators.

While critics argued that sharing the photographs was in poor taste—with royal expert Hilary Fordwich telling Fox News that Prince William was likely livid over the tacky tasteless media post, claiming it would only harden institutional gatekeepers against future reconciliations—Earl Spencer clearly signaled his approval. Observers noted that Spencer’s wife, Cat Jarman, shared online highlights from Althorp, while royal experts pointed out that hosting the family at the estate meant the posts were fully endorsed by the Spencer household.