Buckingham Palace Rejects New Claims From Earl Spencer Regarding King Charles and Diana's Death

Buckingham Palace has issued a sharp response to new allegations leveled by Earl Charles Spencer, the brother of the late Princess Diana, concerning the behavior of King Charles III following her tragic death in 1997. The ongoing friction between the king and his former brother-in-law has surfaced once again through excerpts from Spencer's upcoming book, reviving decades-old tensions that date back to the princess's funeral.

In his new book titled "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister," which is being serialized in the Daily Mail newspaper ahead of its full publication next week, Earl Spencer claims that King Charles made callous remarks days after Diana died at the age of 36. Spencer alleges that during an angry phone call, the then-prince told him, "Rest assured, we'll forget her soon enough!" The author asserts that this statement reflected pent-up contempt for the late princess and annoyance at the massive global reaction to her passing.

Responding to the publication late on Wednesday, a palace spokesperson issued a direct statement addressing the claims. While noting that the institution maintains a policy of not commenting on books, the spokesperson stated that His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment, and color memory in ways that others may not recognize, even many years after such a loss.

The historical background of the relationship between the two men includes an acrimonious separation between Charles and Diana prior to her 1997 death, meaning relations were already severely strained before the late-night car crash in Paris. The accident occurred as Diana's chauffeur attempted to evade paparazzi photographers, sparking a massive wave of public grief across the United Kingdom and internationally.

Among the specific allegations repeated in Spencer's new book is his assertion that he strongly objected to Princes William and Harry—who were then 12 and 15 years old—participating in the public funeral procession held on September 6, 1997. Spencer claims that raising this objection subjected him to a stream of anger from Charles, who allegedly unleashed his frustration over the public outpouring of sorrow for the polarizing yet widely admired princess, who was known for her charitable engagements and approachable demeanor.

The long-standing feud between the Spencer family and the Windsor family has frequently returned to public attention over the decades, frequently appearing in the British press and dramatized in popular television programs such as Netflix's "The Crown." The British monarchy itself faced considerable public criticism at the time for its perceived initial failure to respond adequately in public to the tragedy.

The timing of the resurfaced controversy coincides with a scheduled public engagement for King Charles. The monarch, alongside Queen Consort Camilla, has spent much of September residing at Balmoral Castle in Scotland and attending various regional appointments.

On Thursday, King Charles is set to host a prominent gathering of artificial intelligence executives at Dumfries House in Ayrshire. Representatives from major technology companies, including OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Nvidia, and Anthropic, are scheduled to attend what is viewed as a crucial meeting for the direction of the industry.

Advance excerpts released by the palace indicate that the King intended to address the technological leaders directly regarding their responsibilities. According to the statements, the monarch planned to emphasize that the decisions made during this formative period will shape the world inherited by future generations, insisting that technology must remain firmly in the service of humanity, community, and the natural world.

The high-profile Scottish event also includes institutional figures such as Britain's Minister for Artificial Intelligence, Kanishka Narayan, and Paolo Benanti, an adviser who has expressed considerable interest and concern regarding AI development on behalf of Pope Leo XIV. Despite the looming distraction of the newly published book and the renewed public focus on historical royal grievances, the royal schedule in Scotland proceeds as planned.