Charles Spencer has made fresh claims about King Charles’s response to Princess Diana’s death, alleging that the then Prince of Wales reacted angrily when Spencer objected to Princes William and Harry taking part in their mother’s funeral procession.
The allegations appear in Spencer’s memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, which recounts a conversation he says took place days after Diana died in August 1997.
Spencer said he had tried to prevent William and Harry, then aged 15 and 12, from being paraded through the streets during the funeral because he believed it would have been against Diana’s wishes.
According to Spencer’s account, Charles told him he had walked in his great-uncle’s funeral procession decades earlier and argued that his sons should similarly walk behind their mother’s coffin.
Spencer said he replied that Charles had been 30 at the time of that funeral, while William and Harry were still children. He alleges that the conversation prompted an angry outburst and accused Charles of expressing “pent-up contempt” towards Diana.
“Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough,” Charles allegedly told him.
William and Harry ultimately took part in the procession, walking on either side of their uncle as millions watched the funeral of the Princess of Wales.
Buckingham Palace responds to Charles Spencer’s Diana claims
Buckingham Palace issued an unusual response to the allegations, saying it did not comment on books “as a matter of principle”.
In a statement, the palace said: “His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgement and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss.”
Daily Mirror associate editor Russell Myers said the statement appeared to be an attempt by the Royal Family to respond forcefully to Spencer’s account.
“I don’t think anyone expected Buckingham Palace to issue a statement of any shape or form,” Myers said on Sunrise.
He added: “But you just look at the words used in this stinging rebuke, talking about clouded reason, affected judgement and the colour of memory.
“I think that is absolutely a shot across the bows to Spencer and really does get ahead of the story.”
Myers said the memoir had caused concern at the palace and suggested further allegations could emerge in the coming days. He also said the claims were unlikely to improve relations within the Royal Family or between William and Harry.
