Princess Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, has written a memoir that reveals intimate details about the breakdown of her marriage to Prince Charles. In his book, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, Spencer recounts a conversation in which Diana told him she planned to end their marriage. Spencer said the idea of divorce still surprised him even though he had long known their relationship was troubled.
He wrote that Diana told him Prince Charles was in love with a male valet, but she did not name the staff member. Spencer added that he never pressed her for more details and believed it was not important at the time. Reuters reported that Spencer included the allegation in the memoir but said he found the claim difficult to believe.
The couple separated in 1992 and finalized their divorce in 1996, one year before Diana died in a car crash in Paris. Buckingham Palace declined to comment specifically on the claim involving the valet.
Spencer also said he believed Diana would not have wanted her sons William and Harry to walk behind her coffin during her funeral procession. He said he objected to the plan because the boys were only 15 and 12 at the time.
Spencer accused Prince Charles of showing contempt for his ex-wife and claimed he sounded “giddily elated” after her death. He also claims Charles told him during an argument over the funeral arrangements that Diana would soon be forgotten.
Buckingham Palace has strongly disputed Spencer’s account. In a statement responding to the memoir, the palace said grief can affect judgment and memories even many years after a loss.
Spencer has defended his account to the BBC, stating that he is telling the truth about events in their family. He said the words he attributed to Charles were the words he remembered hearing during the telephone conversation.
The memoir was released on September 22 and has drawn attention to the long-standing tensions between the royal family and Diana’s blood relatives. Spencer also said that Diana had considered breaking off her engagement after learning Prince Charles had given a bracelet to Camilla Parker Bowles.
He described how his nephew Harry appeared devastated at his mother’s funeral and needed her presence that he would never get. Spencer has said he opposed having Harry and William walk publicly behind Diana’s coffin because of the emotional burden it placed on the boys.
The controversy has reignited public interest in the relationship between Prince Charles and Princess Diana. Spencer’s account adds to ongoing discussions about how the royal family handled Diana’s death and legacy.
Broadcaster Piers Morgan has criticized the book’s contents, calling some claims false. Morgan has also said he plans legal action against Spencer and his publisher over allegations about Morgan contained in the memoir.
The memoir reflects Spencer’s long-standing criticism of how the monarchy treated his sister and her family. He also compared some recent press coverage involving Prince Harry with the intense media attention Diana faced during her life.
Spencer has long been a vocal critic of the royal family’s behavior toward his sister and their children. His words have brought renewed attention to the complex history between the royal family and Princess Diana’s family.
At the same time, the claims in Swan Song remain Spencer’s recollections and allegations. Buckingham Palace has challenged his account of events after Diana’s death.
The book has sparked debate over whether personal truths should be shared so long after a tragic event. Charles Spencer’s memoir continues to generate discussion about the emotional toll of royal life and its impact on family relationships.
IMAGE: Diana and Charles with Nancy and Ronald Reagan, November 1985 CC0