Nearly three decades after her death in a Paris car crash, Princess Diana continues to generate intense debate within the British royal family following the release of her younger brother’s memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, published on Tuesday, September 22. Charles Spencer’s new book has already drawn an unusually sharp response from Buckingham Palace, centering on allegations of bitter family disputes and a contentious royal funeral.
Charles Spencer Recalls Childhood Memory and Diana’s “Warriors Mentality”
Charles Spencer shares a childhood memory from a summer holiday with their mother on the Scottish west coast to illustrate Diana’s fearless nature. According to Spencer, the siblings frequently went lobster fishing with their mother, Frances, who let the boat’s motor idle while smoking a cigarette as Diana and Charles hauled up the traps.
During one outing, the trio encountered a nearly 1.5-meter-long, muscular black zeepaling. While Charles and his mother recoiled from the creature, Diana immediately stepped forward, grabbed an open pocketknife from a bucket of boat gear, and drove the point hard behind the eel’s eyes.
Did you know? Charles Spencer noted that while this memory highlighted Diana’s “warriors mentality,” he ultimately decided the story was too melig and complex to include in her 1997 funeral eulogy.
Buckingham Palace Responds to Memoir Claims as Royal Tensions Surface
The publication of Swan Song: Diana, My Sister has reignited historical tensions between the Spencer family and the crown. In a statement issued after excerpts appeared, Buckingham Palace addressed the memoir by suggesting that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment, and color memory over time. Spencer has firmly rejected the suggestion that his recollections are unreliable, telling The Guardian that he is telling the truth.
Among the most explosive allegations in the memoir is an account of a pre-funeral phone call between Spencer and then-Prince Charles. Spencer writes that he strongly objected to Princes William and Harry—then aged 15 and 12—walking behind their mother’s coffin during the public procession, arguing Diana would not have wanted her sons to endure such an ordeal. According to Spencer, Prince Charles became furious and criticized the Spencer family’s sense of duty before allegedly stating, “We’ll forget her soon enough.” Spencer stated that he was so stunned by the remark that he abruptly ended the call.
Contrasting Accounts of the 1997 Royal Funeral
The new memoir highlights significant discrepancies between Spencer’s perspective and the official stance of the royal household regarding the events surrounding Diana’s death and funeral. While Spencer maintains that Charles sounded “giddily elated — like a lottery winner” immediately following Diana’s death, the Palace has questioned the accuracy of these recollections while declining to offer a detailed alternative account of the private phone conversations.
Further contrasting details in the book cover the funeral procession and Diana’s royal titles. Spencer claims that Prince Philip ultimately overruled Prince Charles regarding whether William and Harry would walk behind the coffin. Spencer also asserts that the Queen offered to restore Diana’s "Her Royal Highness" title on the day of the funeral, an offer he says he declined as a "consolation prize" after her divorce was finalized in August 1996.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Charles Spencer’s memoir published?
Swan Song: Diana, My Sister was published on Tuesday, September 22, nearly 30 years after Princess Diana died in a Paris car crash at age 36.
How has Buckingham Palace responded to the book?
Buckingham Palace issued a statement suggesting that the passage of time and fraternal grief can cloud reason and color memory, though they have not provided a detailed alternative account of the specific conversations cited in the memoir.
What did Charles Spencer claim about Princes William and Harry at the funeral?
Spencer claims he opposed the young princes walking behind their mother’s coffin and that a subsequent argument with then-Prince Charles over the matter led Charles to allegedly remark, “We’ll forget her soon enough.”
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