Diana's brother's book reveals bitter clash with King Charles III over her funeral
Charles Spencer's new memoir describes a heated phone call with then-Prince Charles about Princess Diana's funeral, in which Charles allegedly made dismissive remarks about her. Buckingham Palace has not denied the account but suggested grief may have affected his memory.
Nearly 30 years after Princess Diana's death, a new memoir is renewing attention on the circumstances surrounding her funeral. In his investigative book "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister," Diana's brother Charles Spencer describes a sharp dispute with then-heir to the throne, now King Charles III, that took place shortly after Diana died in 1997.
Dispute over the princes in the funeral procession
According to Spencer, the disagreement centered on whether Diana's sons – 15-year-old William and 12-year-old Harry – should walk behind their mother's coffin during the public funeral procession through London. Charles reportedly insisted the boys must do so, while Spencer argued his sister would never have wanted her sons exposed to such a public ordeal.
The book describes the phone call growing increasingly tense. Spencer reminded Charles that he himself had been 30 years old when he walked in the funeral procession for his uncle, Lord Mountbatten. Spencer writes that Charles then lost his composure, and after a pause said words Spencer interpreted as long-suppressed contempt for Diana — telling him not to worry, as she would soon be forgotten. Spencer says he was so stunned it took seconds to respond, after which he said he couldn't believe what he'd just heard and hung up.
Palace response
Buckingham Palace issued an unusual statement on Wednesday evening that did not directly deny Spencer's account, but noted that grief can cloud judgment, affect decisions and alter memories in ways people may not realize even years after a loss.
Spencer's relationship with King Charles III has long been considered strained, as Diana's brother has repeatedly criticized the monarchy publicly, including in his widely discussed eulogy at Diana's funeral. The new book has reignited longstanding tensions within the royal family.
