Spencer Responds to Buckingham Palace’s Denial
Earl Charles Spencer, Princess Diana’s brother, has sharply reacted to Buckingham Palace’s dismissal of his account regarding a conversation with King Charles III. He accused the monarch of “gaslighting” him after the palace questioned his memory of their exchange following Diana’s passing.
This week, an excerpt from Spencer’s forthcoming memoir, “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister,” surfaced in The Daily Mail, detailing a passionate dialogue he supposedly had with Charles shortly after Diana’s death. In this excerpt, Spencer claimed that Charles remarked, “We’ll forget her soon enough!” concerning his late ex-wife.
In response, Buckingham Palace contested Spencer’s depiction, implying that the emotional toll of grief might have clouded his recollection of events surrounding his sister’s death.
Spencer expressed his discontent during a discussion with The Mail on Sunday. “It’s not every day you realize you’ve been gaslit by the king,” he stated, finding the palace’s comments shockingly disrespectful, as they implied he had lied without the king being able to refute his claims.
He also criticized the palace’s approach, comparing it unfavorably to the now-famous phrase, “recollections may vary,” which had a more sophisticated tone, although he felt it was unsuitable in this case.
In the memo’s excerpt, Spencer recounted a phone call he claimed to have with Charles six days after Diana’s tragic car accident in 1997. He described the king expressing intense anger and, after a pause, revealing contempt for Diana and his astonishment at the public outpouring of grief. Spencer quoted Charles’s alleged words, saying, “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough!”
The two also reportedly clashed over the decision to have Prince William and Harry, ages 15 and 12 at the time, walk behind their mother’s coffin during her funeral procession.
A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace offered a rare comment, stating that while they typically refrain from discussing books, His Majesty recognizes that the anguish of losing a sibling can significantly impact one’s judgment and memory, often in ways that may not be apparent even years later.
Spencer maintained his position during an appearance on BBC One’s “Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg,” countering Kuenssberg’s assertion that the palace had denied his interpretation by suggesting they had merely muddied the details. He then asked if the king was truly furious or simply embarrassed, affirming that the words he reported were indeed spoken.
He explained that he distinctly remembers the call because he had only spoken to Charles twice previously, which made him particularly attentive to the conversation. He shared that he found the alleged comment so shocking that he immediately relayed it to close family and friends.
When pressed about whether William and Harry might be upset by his recounting, Spencer implied that the young princes were already aware of his account, saying it wouldn’t come as a surprise to them.
Buckingham Palace later indicated they would not provide further comments on the matter.
Diana tragically passed away at the age of 36 from injuries sustained in a car crash in Paris. At the time, she had been divorced from Charles for about a year. Their marriage, which began in July 1981, saw its separation announced in December 1992 and finalized in August 1996.
Spencer has previously criticized the decision for William and Harry to walk behind their mother’s casket, deeming it “bizarre and cruel.” Harry, in his 2023 memoir “Spare,” recounted how several adults expressed concern and how Spencer vehemently opposed the choice.
Spencer characterized that experience during the funeral as haunting, recalling a profound wave of grief that engulfed him as they followed the procession.
Swan Song: Diana, My Sister is scheduled for release on September 22.
