Princess Diana’s Brother Responds to Buckingham Palace’s Denial of Conversation with King Charles III

Princess Diana’s brother, Earl Charles Spencer, has publicly responded to Buckingham Palace after they disputed his account of a conversation with King Charles III. Spencer has claimed that the monarch is attempting to distort his memory of events, in what he describes as being ‘gaslit’ by the king.

The controversy emerged from an excerpt published in The Daily Mail from Spencer’s forthcoming memoir, “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister.” In the book, Spencer recalls a tense conversation with Charles following Diana’s death. He alleged that Charles commented, “We’ll forget her soon enough!” regarding the late princess.

Buckingham Palace has since questioned Spencer’s recollection, suggesting that grief might have clouded his memory. This led to a rebuke from Spencer during an interview with The Mail on Sunday, where he emphasized the king’s response as provocative and accused him of indirectly calling him a liar.

It is not every day you wake up to find you’ve been gaslit by the king,” Spencer remarked, critiquing the palace’s handling of the issue.

Spencer commented on his interaction with Charles days after Diana’s tragic death in August 1997. He described a phone call where he alleges Charles expressed disdain over the public’s reaction to Diana’s passing, allegedly stating, “‘Rest assured,’ he hissed, ‘we’ll forget her soon enough!’”

The disagreement between Spencer and the royal family also touches upon the decision for Prince William and Harry to walk behind their mother’s casket during her funeral, a move Spencer had opposed.

A spokesperson for Buckingham Palace has maintained a stance of not commenting on individual book claims, noting instead that fraternal grief can cloud judgments and memories.

Spencer has stood by his account, insisting during a BBC One interview that he accurately recalled Charles’s words due to the rarity of their conversations. He reiterated these memories to close friends and relatives at the time due to their shocking nature.

Spencer has acknowledged that William and Harry are likely familiar with his version of events. He expressed confidence that the comments he attributes to Charles will not surprise them.

In Spencer’s memoir, he further explores his views on the decisions made regarding Diana’s funeral, recalling it as a particularly traumatic experience. At the time of Diana’s death, she had been divorced from Charles for about a year.