Earl Spencer defended Prince Harry’s decision to return to the UK in a testy exchange, in which he also revealed the pair had not discussed the move when they met up over the summer.
Princess Diana’s younger brother, Charles, told royal biographer Tina Brown that it “seems normal” to him that the Duke of Sussex and his wife Meghan should wish to return to live in his home country, six years after stepping down from the royal family.
The 9th Earl Spencer was promoting his new memoir Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, at an event in New York, which covered his memories of the late Princess of Wales, his strained relationship with King Charles and his relationship with his nephews Prince William and Harry.
According to People magazine, he said in the interview: “I think what’s interesting is, you forget, these are just regular people at heart, and this English guy’s lived in California; he wants to live in England. Seems normal.”
“Okay, well, it’s one way of reading it,” Ms Brown replied.
Stating he saw himself as “just an elderly uncle who’s there if needed”, he said: “I mean, it’s a matter of public record, and I wouldn’t have shared this, but, you know, it’s a matter of public record that Harry and his family came to stay with Cat and me this summer.
“If I’m of any use for things like that, that’s fine.”
Asked if he had encouraged Harry to return to the UK, he said they had not discussed it.
He continued: “There are things that he might talk about where I am totally happy to help, but I... I wouldn’t intrude on any of... Yeah, it’s up to somebody to share that stuff with me if they want to. I’m not sure how useful I’d have been about a property search or something.”
Harry and Meghan and their two children, Archie, seven, and Lilibet, five, returned to the UK at the end of the summer holidays, and will continue to undertake charity commitments.
After the move was announced, Buckingham Palace issued a statement saying they were “private citizens”, opening a fresh row with the Sussexes who said they were a “little surprised” by the letter.
Earl Spencer added he had not informed his family that he was writing a memoir until shortly before the book was announced, including Diana’s two sons.
“I took a conscious decision that this was very much... my story, my responsibility,” the Earl said. “I thought if I told my family, my sisters, my nephews, anyone else, they would all have a view as to content, and what I must include, and what I mustn’t.”
He said he told his relatives “on the day of the announcement before it went out, so they got almost no warning”.
Asked specifically how William and Harry reacted, Earl Spencer declined to divulge their private conversations but said it was “okay”.
“I mean, I think they’re probably used to me sort of doing my own thing, and I made it absolutely clear to them, I haven’t compromised either of your privacy at all,” he added.
Ms Brown said: “Well, it’s amazing. I mean, you don’t tell them that you’re writing the book, and you didn’t discuss the most incredible decision that is going to happen, and everybody’s astounded by everybody else’s behaviour.”
Earl Spencer replied: “But is it astounding that an Englishman wants to move back to England? I don’t think so.”
When asked if the brothers had ever spoken to him about his famous eulogy at his sister’s funeral, he said Harry had been “very supportive”, while he did not recall any comments from William.
Princess Diana’s televised funeral in 1997 saw Earl Spencer sharply criticising the press and pledging her “blood family” would protect her sons, to ensure their souls were not “simply immersed by duty and tradition”.
It was widely seen as a rebuke of the royal family, with the Earl accusing the King in his memoir of acting “like a lottery winner” after Diana’s death.
He alleged Charles told him “we’ll forget her soon enough” during a phone call to discuss her funeral plans, and that he had sounded “giddy”.
In a rare public statement, the palace said: “Fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgement and colour memory.”
When asked in his interview if he was due to contribute to any projects marking the 30th anniversary of her fatal car crash, Earl Spencer said he had been approached but had not committed.
“Well, of course, Harry is said to be making a tribute,” Ms Brown said.
“Yeah, he may well be, but I... I don’t know where I can contribute to that sort of thing,” Earl Spencer replied.
It has been reported William has declined offers to take part in any documentaries to mark the occasion.
