Buckingham Palace Pushes Back as Earl Spencer Claims King Charles Sounded 'Elated' After Diana's Death

Earl Spencer, the younger brother of Diana, Princess of Wales, has ignited fresh controversy after claiming that King Charles III sounded "giddily elated" during a telephone conversation in the immediate aftermath of Diana’s fatal car crash in 1997. The explosive allegation, included in his upcoming memoir about his late sister, has drawn a swift and unusually pointed response from Buckingham Palace.

In his account of the tragedy, Earl Spencer recalled speaking to the then-Prince of Wales shortly after the news of the Paris crash was confirmed. He claimed that Charles's emotional state on the telephone resembled that of a "lottery winner," sharply contrasting with the devastated and solemn tone of other friends and relatives who reached out during those early hours.

The portrayal of the monarch has prompted Buckingham Palace to issue a robust defense, casting doubt on the reliability of Earl Spencer's recollections. Royal officials took the rare step of formally questioning the narrative, stressing that memories formed under severe emotional trauma cannot always be considered accurate representations of past reality.

A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace noted that while the institution maintains a strict principle against commenting on royal biographies, His Majesty recognized that the profound pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, compromise judgment, and alter memories in ways that others involved do not recognize, even decades after experiencing such a devastating loss.

The contention is the latest in a series of sensitive revelations from the forthcoming book, which is currently being serialized in the Daily Mail. An earlier excerpt sparked widespread debate after alleging that Charles had dismissed Diana's legacy following her death, purportedly remarking that she would be forgotten soon enough.

According to Earl Spencer’s recollections, he first learned of the catastrophic events on August 31, 1997, at his residence in Cape Town, South Africa. He was awakened in the middle of the night by a telephone call from his sister Jane, who initially alerted him to the crash before subsequent updates confirmed Diana had died alongside Dodi Fayed in Paris.

During a subsequent phone call between Earl Spencer and Prince Charles, the prince informed him that he had broken the news of Diana's death to their young sons, Prince William and Prince Harry. Charles had gone to their bedrooms early that morning at Balmoral Castle in Scotland to deliver the tragic development personally.

Earl Spencer’s memoir also delves into the troubled beginnings of the royal couple's marriage, which officially ended in divorce in August 1996. He writes that a close confidante of Diana informed him that on the eve of their high-profile July 1981 wedding, Prince Charles had confessed he was happy to wed her but admitted he was not actually in love with her.

The memoir details how the relationship deteriorated rapidly during its early years, with Earl Spencer noting that both spouses frequently fell into despair over the state of their union. He describes the royal partnership as experiencing immense strain from the outset, leading to years of public and private friction.

In addition to chronicling interpersonal disputes, Earl Spencer offers a retrospective assessment of his sister’s mental health. He suggests that the late Princess of Wales may have lived with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and experienced Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, a condition characterized by extreme psychological distress when confronted with perceived rejection or criticism.

Earl Spencer further alleges that Diana’s emotional turmoil drove her to contemplate taking her own life on more than one occasion during her later years. However, he explains that her profound love and protective instincts for her two young sons consistently prevented her from acting on those impulses.

The explosive contents of the book have placed key members of the Royal Family back under the media spotlight. When approached regarding the claims made by his uncle, representatives for Prince Harry stated that they would not be offering any comment on the newly published excerpts.

The full book, titled *Swan Song: Diana, My Sister*, is scheduled for release next week. While national news organizations have not yet obtained access to the complete manuscript, the serialized extracts have already triggered a vigorous debate across the United Kingdom and international media.

With nearly three decades having passed since Princess Diana’s death, the release of Earl Spencer’s memoir highlights the unresolved tensions and contrasting perspectives that continue to surround her life and demise. Observers are closely watching how the public will receive the disclosures, balancing interest in a brother's perspective against criticism over airing deeply private historical disputes.