Diana's brother reveals Charles's words to him after her death

Princess Diana's younger brother, Charles Spencer, has revealed previously unknown details of a tense phone conversation with the then-Prince Charles that took place shortly after Diana's death in 1997. The account appears in his upcoming memoir, "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister," excerpts of which were published this week by the Daily Mail ahead of the book's September 22 release.

Spencer recalls that in the days following his sister's death, the royal family debated whether her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry — then 15 and 12 — should walk behind their mother's coffin in the funeral procession. Spencer strongly opposed the idea, particularly worried about the effect on the younger Harry. A phone call with Prince Charles that followed grew increasingly heated. After a pause Spencer initially took for an attempt at composure, he says Charles delivered a remark that Spencer interpreted as long-held contempt for Diana, suggesting she would soon be forgotten. Spencer writes that he was momentarily speechless before ending the call.

Buckingham Palace responded to the memoir with its standard practice of not commenting on books, while noting that grief over the loss of a sibling can affect a person's recollection of events even decades later.

The question of whether the princes should join the funeral procession has drawn public attention before. In a 2017 BBC documentary, both princes said the decision had been made jointly by the family, while Spencer had already spoken publicly about trying to spare Harry from the experience.

The book arrives ahead of the 30th anniversary of Diana's death and is described by Spencer as his most personal work to date. Interest in the release has been heightened by an unusual incident in the Netherlands, where several copies of the book were stolen from a truck, prompting a police investigation.