Earl Spencer Memoir Alleges Post-Funeral Conflict With the then-Prince of Wales
In an extract from his upcoming book Swan Song: Diana, My Sister published by the Daily Mail, Earl Spencer writes that the then-Prince of Wales subjected him to a stream of anger following a dispute over the royal funeral. According to the excerpt, the disagreement centered on whether Princes William and Harry—then aged 15 and 12—should walk behind their mother’s coffin in the public procession.
Earl Spencer claims he was informed by a senior Palace aide about the arrangement for the young princes, an plan he strongly opposed. Shortly afterward, he received a phone call from the then-Prince of Wales. According to the book, the then-Prince of Wales unleashed pent-up contempt regarding Diana’s immense global popularity.
Buckingham Palace Responds and Addresses Fraternal Grief
Buckingham Palace strongly pushed back against the claims made in the memoir. In a statement issued regarding the excerpt, a Palace spokesperson said, “While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss.”
The book’s release is expected to revisit a volatile period in royal history. Following Diana’s death in a 1997 car crash, the royal family faced intense public scrutiny and accusations of appearing out of touch and failing to display adequate emotion. Earl Spencer’s emotional and defiant speech at Westminster Abbey during the funeral further intensified public friction at the time.
The Theft of Unreleased Books in the Netherlands
Ahead of its publication next week, physical distribution of the memoir faced an unexpected security breach. According to BBC News, four copies of the Dutch-language edition of Swan Song: Diana, My Sister were stolen from a transport truck while it was en route from the printer to the Dutch publisher’s warehouse.
Publishers have not yet commented on whether the theft will impact the scheduled release date or lead to premature leaks of additional text from the controversial memoir.