Buckingham Palace Strongly Rebuts Earl Spencer's Allegations in New Princess Diana Memoir

Buckingham Palace has entered into an unusually sharp war of words with Earl Spencer following the release of excerpts from his forthcoming memoir about his late sister, Diana, Princess of Wales. The dispute centers on incendiary allegations concerning King Charles's private remarks in the immediate aftermath of the princess's death in 1997.

According to extracts serialized in the Daily Mail from his upcoming volume, titled *Swan Song: Diana, My Sister*, Earl Spencer claims that the then-Prince of Wales made a dismissive comment about Diana during a tense exchange. Charles is alleged to have declared to his former brother-in-law that "we'll forget her soon enough," a claim that has sparked swift pushback from the monarchy.

The book details an intense dispute over the funeral arrangements, during which Earl Spencer opposed having Princes William and Harry—then aged 15 and 12—walk in the public funeral cortege. Spencer contends that Diana would not have wanted her young sons subjected to the ordeal, an objection that reportedly triggered a fiery telephone confrontation with Charles.

In his memoir, Earl Spencer describes Charles as unleashing a "stream of anger" during the phone call. Spencer writes that the then-heir to the throne gave vent to what seemed like pent-up contempt for Diana, expressing dismay at the world's overwhelming outpouring of grief before hissing, "Rest assured, we'll forget her soon enough."

Buckingham Palace took the rare step of issuing a direct and robust public rebuttal, aimed at casting serious doubt on the accuracy of the Earl's account. While noting that the institution avoids commenting on published memoirs as a matter of policy, officials released a pointed statement addressing the psychological impact of personal tragedy.

The Palace stated that His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment, and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even decades after suffering such a loss. The measured yet firm phrasing serves to challenge the credibility of the memory while maintaining an acknowledgment of Spencer's bereavement.

Royal observers have noted that the tone of the Palace's response is strikingly reminiscent of the late Queen Elizabeth II's reaction in 2021 to claims made by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. At the time, the late Queen famously noted that "recollections may vary," establishing a diplomatic formula for disputing controversial narratives.

Palace insiders have firmly dismissed the alleged quote as entirely out of character for the King. Defenders describe Charles as a deeply compassionate figure who was navigating his own profound sorrow alongside the acute grief of his two young, motherless sons during that tumultuous week in September 1997.

The emergence of the memoir threatens to revive one of the most volatile and emotionally charged chapters in modern royal history. Following the fatal car crash in Paris, the Royal Family faced widespread criticism from a mourning public that perceived them as detached, unemotional, and slow to respond to the national mood.

Earl Spencer's impassioned and defiant eulogy at Diana's funeral in Westminster Abbey originally underscored the rift between the Spencers and the Royal Household. His new book, scheduled for publication next week, promises to offer a comprehensive insider account of those painful events from the specific perspective of Diana's immediate family.

The public feud has erupted on a remarkably busy day of official engagements for multiple generations of the royal family. Key members of the institution are leading high-profile events across the country, creating a sharp contrast between modern state duties and long-standing historical grievances.

King Charles is scheduled to intervene in the global discussion surrounding the rapid rise of artificial intelligence during an event at Dumfries House in Ayrshire. Hosting industry leaders, the King is expected to warn that humanity is anxiously seeking reassurance that society will not lose control of its own destiny amid technological acceleration.

Describing the pace and substance of AI development as both intriguing and deeply concerning in equal measure, the King is set to host UK AI Minister Kanishka Narayan alongside senior executives from leading tech firms, including OpenAI, Anthropic, Nvidia, and Google DeepMind. His address will emphasize the necessity of international cooperation and safe deployment to ensure technological progress serves humanity and the natural world.

Simultaneously, Prince William and Catherine are undertaking official duties in Scotland, where they are known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay. The royal couple is carrying out their first formal visit to the town of Rothesay on the Isle of Bute, where they will tour community volunteering initiatives, observe the traditional sport of shinty, visit a community-owned pub, and review local environmental protection projects.

Adding to the day's royal focus, Prince Harry is making his first major public appearance following his return to the UK. The Duke of Sussex is attending the inaugural Invictus awards ceremony, an event established to celebrate the resilience, dedicated service, and unconquered spirit of wounded, injured, and sick service personnel.

The simultaneous convergence of these major public engagements highlights the Royal Family's efforts to project forward-looking leadership. However, the unexpected confrontation over Earl Spencer's memoir demonstrates how lingering tensions from Diana's life and legacy continue to shadow the monarchy decades later.