Earl Spencer Defends Claims About King's Diana Comments
Earl Spencer told the BBC he was 'hyper-alert' to King Charles's words on a call after Diana's death and stands by every claim in his forthcoming memoir. Buckingham Palace has disputed the account, saying 'fraternal grief can cloud reason.'
- Spencer said Charles sounded 'giddily elated — like a lottery winner' on the call after Diana died.
- During a later call over funeral plans, Spencer says Charles said: 'We'll forget her soon enough.'
- Spencer told the BBC he said 'I cannot believe you just said that' and hung up.
- Penguin Random House confirmed to CNN that Daily Mail excerpts accurately reflect the book's text.
Why it matters: The memoir surfaces detailed allegations about the royal family's private conduct at one of Britain's most public moments of grief. Several claims — about Diana's bulimia, her attempt to break off the engagement, and Queen Elizabeth II's offer to restore her HRH title — go beyond what has previously been reported.
- Spencer says the book corrects 'untruths' told about Diana, including previously unreported details about her mental health.
How 8 sources split on this story
Where they split: The core factual dispute is whether King Charles made those statements — Spencer says he remembers them precisely; the Palace has not denied the words but implied his grief has distorted his memory.
Left coverage, 3 sources: The left frames the story as a damaging portrait of Charles's character and the institution's cold handling of Diana's death, giving prominent space to each allegation in sequence.
Right coverage, 4 sources: The right leads with Spencer's own words and the drama of the confrontation, reporting the claims straightforwardly without additional editorial context about the monarchy.
The Sun19m‘Hypocrite’ Earl Spencer set to make millions from bombshell memoir despite vow to NEVER make money from Diana’s death
Daily Mail4hAMANDA PLATELL: I understand Earl Spencer's pain - I too lost a beloved sibling. This is why he needs to voice his truth about Diana now
Citizen Free Press4hCharles sounded ‘like lottery winner’ after Princess Diana died.
New York Post3hPrincess Diana's brother doubles down on King Charles' 'monstrous' remarks about ex-wife's death: 'I was hyper alert'What’s next: Swan Song publishes Tuesday; further serialised excerpts are expected before then.
- The Palace has not said whether Charles will make any further public response.
- Will King Charles directly deny or confirm Spencer's account of the phone calls?
- Are there other witnesses or contemporaneous records that could corroborate either account?