Nearly three decades after Princess Diana's death, a private discussion over the funeral arrangements, days after her death have resurfaced, and this time, Buckingham Palace has responded. The claim comes from Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, in his new memoir Swan Song: Diana, My Sister .
Spencer recounts an angry phone call with Diana's former husband, then-Prince Charles, in which he says the future King reacted bitterly to the public's grief over Diana and told him that she would be forgotten “soon enough.” The Palace has not confirmed the account, but issued an unusually pointed statement after the claim was published.
What Charles Spencer claims happened
According to an excerpt reported by the Daily Mail , Spencer recalls a heated telephone conversation with the then-Prince Charles shortly after Diana died in Paris on August 31, 1997.
The disagreement reportedly concerned whether Princes William and Harry, who were 15 and 12 at the time, should walk behind their mother's coffin during the funeral procession.
Spencer says that during the conversation, Charles allegedly made a remark suggesting “ ‘Rest assured,’ he hissed, ‘we’ll forget her soon enough!’ ”. Spencer presents the exchange as evidence of what he believed was Charles' anger and negative feelings toward Diana. The account is Spencer's recollection and has not been independently established.
Buckingham Palace issues rare response
Rather than addressing the alleged words directly, Buckingham Palace responded through a spokesperson. The Palace said it does not generally comment on books, but added that King Charles was mindful that “the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and color memory” even many years after a loss. The response is being viewed as an unusual decision by the monarch to address criticism contained in an unpublished memoir.
The question of William and Harry walking behind Diana's coffin has previously been discussed by both princes.
In the 2017 BBC documentary Diana, 7 Days , William described the decision as a collective family choice. Harry later revisited the episode in his 2023 memoir Spare , writing that some adults had objected to the boys taking part in the procession.
Diana died aged 36 after the car carrying her and Dodi Al Fayed crashed in Paris while being pursued by paparazzi. Her funeral took place at Westminster Abbey on September 6, 1997.
Why Spencer wrote the memoir
Spencer has said the approaching 30th anniversary of his sister's death prompted him to finally document his memories. According to the book's publisher, Penguin Michael Joseph, the memoir is the first time he has spoken openly and at length about Diana in book form.
Spencer has characterized the project as an account of Diana from her brother's perspective and said he wants to present a positive picture of her life and character.
The book has already attracted additional attention after four copies were reportedly stolen from a delivery truck in the Netherlands before publication. Dutch police are investigating the theft, according to reports.
