Multiple copies of Earl Charles Spencer’s memoir about his sister, Princess Diana, were stolen from a lorry in the Netherlands while the driver slept, according to reports from the Daily Mail. The theft of the upcoming book, titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, occurred earlier this week at a lay-by as the vehicle transported thousands of copies from a Central European printing facility to a distribution warehouse.
The Lorry Break-In and Investigation in the Netherlands
Dutch authorities are currently investigating the lorry robbery, which left publication plans in disarray just days before the global release. According to coverage by the Daily Mail, four copies of the memoir—which were concealed in black plastic wrapping to protect their contents—were taken during the overnight stop. Penguin Michael Joseph, an imprint of Penguin Random House, has scheduled the worldwide release of the book for next Tuesday. The stolen volumes were part of a larger shipment moving from production facilities to retail distribution centers.
Earl Spencer’s Rationale for the Memoir
The author stated that he had been inundated with interview requests and wanted to record his own memories rather than reading the accounts of others. “The aim of this book is to tell the truth about Diana from her brother’s perspective, just as I attempted to do when speaking at her funeral,” Earl Spencer wrote on Instagram, referencing his eulogy delivered at Westminster Abbey in September 1997. The book chronicles his relationship with his elder sister, her marriage to the then-Prince of Wales, and the public grief that followed her fatal accident.
Comparison to Prior Publishing Incidents
In 2023, copies of Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare, were accidentally put on sale in Spain days ahead of its official global release, drawing intense international media scrutiny. Unlike the early retail release of Spare, the Spencer memoir copies were targeted in transit during a lorry break-in. Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams told GB News that the timing and nature of the project reflect a close relationship between the Spencer family and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. Buckingham Palace is reportedly preparing for potential disclosures regarding the breakdown of the former Prince and Princess of Wales’ marriage.
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