'Swan Song': New book by Princess Diana's brother drops
The memoir includes disputed claims about King Charles and Diana’s death, and Buckingham Palace says grief can cloud reason, judgment and memory.
- On Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer, released his memoir 'Swan Song: Diana, My Sister,' alleging King Charles III behaved callously after Princess Diana's 1997 death, prompting a rare Buckingham Palace rebuttal.
- Spencer recounts a 1997 phone call where he claims the then-Prince Charles sounded "giddily elated" and remarked "we'll forget her soon enough" during a dispute over whether Princes William and Harry should walk behind their mother's coffin.
- Published by Penguin and translated into 12 languages, the memoir aims to set the record straight "as an eyewitness to history," though critics have questioned the timing and motives behind revisiting these decades-old tensions.
- Buckingham Palace stated "the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason," which Spencer dismissed as a "rather poor imitation" of the late Queen Elizabeth II's "recollections may vary" response, accusing the King of gaslighting him.
- This release arrives ahead of the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana's death in 1997, reopening long-standing wounds the royal family has sought to move past for nearly three decades.
412 Articles
412 Articles
Princess Diana's brother says Buckingham Palace "has to gaslight" him in response to book claims
Charles Spencer, the brother of the late Princess Diana, spoke to "CBS Mornings" co-host Gayle King about writing his new book, "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister."
Prince William 'Furious' As Bombshell Reports Rock Royal Family
Prince William’s uncle promised to protect him after Princess Diana’s death. Now, royal commentators say Charles Spencer’s new memoir has left the future king furious as another fight over his mother’s memory spills into public view. Spencer’s “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister,” published Tuesday, has put the royal family back on the defensive with allegations […]
How Did King Charles React To Princess Diana's Death?
King Charles’s reaction to Princess Diana’s death has returned to the spotlight nearly 30 years later. For years, royal writers claimed he broke down when he heard the news. Now, Diana’s brother has shared a very different version of what happened, raising fresh questions about Charles’s true feelings at the time. Charles Spencer Shares A […]
Is Lady Diana the most prominent victim of the British royal family? On almost 400 pages, her brother has now told his version of the tragedy, which includes Diana's learning difficulties.
ANALYSIS | Diana’s brother says he’s written his swan song for his sister. It won’t be the last story about her
The recent publication of a book by Charles Spencer, the younger brother of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, has only added to the way in which her legacy will keep being a focus of debate and interpretation as time keeps passing on from her sudden death in 1997.
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 43% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
