Guardian satirist mocks Earl Spencer's new memoir about Princess Diana

The Guardian has published a satirical take on a new memoir by Earl Charles Spencer, Princess Diana's brother, in which he recalls his sister's life. The piece was written by columnist John Crace as part of his long-running "Digested Read" series, which condenses newly published books into short, ironic summaries.

The memoir arrives as the 30th anniversary of Diana's death in a 1997 Paris car crash approaches. In the book, Spencer recounts childhood memories shared with Diana, the family's history, and his role in organising his sister's funeral, including the eulogy he delivered at Westminster Abbey in 1997.

Crace's parody pokes fun at Spencer for appearing more focused on himself than on his sister throughout the book. The satire references real events surrounding the funeral, including Elton John's rewritten performance of "Candle in the Wind," then-prime minister Tony Blair's description of Diana as "the People's Princess," and tensions between the Spencer family and the royal household over funeral arrangements, including disagreements about whether princes William and Harry would walk behind the coffin.

The review also touches on Spencer's personal life, noting his multiple marriages and his earlier career as an NBC journalist, which he claims prepared him for writing the eulogy. Crace highlights that although the book is dedicated to William and Harry, the parody suggests it centres largely on Spencer himself.

The piece continues the Guardian's long-standing "Digested Read" tradition, in which the columnist humorously summarises newly released books.