Charles Spencer, Princess Diana’s younger brother, claims in his forthcoming memoir that King Charles told him “we‘ll forget her soon enough” just days after Diana’s death in 1997. The allegation appears in Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, which is scheduled for publication on September 22, 2026, and was first serialized by the Daily Mail on September 16.
According to Spencer‘s account, the remark came during a heated phone call about whether Prince William and Prince Harry—then 15 and 12—should walk behind their mother’s coffin in her funeral procession. Spencer says he opposed the idea, and that Charles responded with what he describes as “pent-up contempt for Diana, and his horror that the world was so bowled over by her death.”
Buckingham Palace has pushed back against the claim. A 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.”
This is Spencer‘s recollection, published in his own memoir—not an independently verified recording or transcript. Readers should treat the account as one person’s memory of a private conversation that occurred nearly three decades ago.
According to Spencer‘s memoir, the exchange unfolded in the days between Diana’s death on August 31, 1997, and her funeral on September 6. Spencer writes that he was informed by a senior royal aide that William and Harry would walk in the funeral procession, and that he objected, saying, “That‘s not going to happen.”
Minutes later, Spencer says, he received a phone call from then-Prince Charles. Spencer claims Charles argued that he himself had walked in a funeral procession at age 18—for Lord Mountbatten, his great-uncle—and that the princes should do the same. Spencer says he pointed out that Charles had actually been 30 at Mountbatten’s funeral in 1979.
What followed, according to Spencer, was an angry monologue. He writes that Charles “continued his stream of anger, without me interrupting. Then he stopped.” Spencer says he assumed Charles was collecting himself, but instead: “He unleashed down the phone what I have always taken to be his pent-up contempt for Diana, and his horror that the world was so bowled over by her death. ‘Rest assured,’ he hissed, ‘we’ll forget her soon enough!’”
Spencer says he was “so stunned” that he took a few seconds to respond. He writes that he said, “I can‘t believe you just said that,” before hanging up.
These are Spencer’s words describing his own recollection. They have not been independently corroborated.
The dispute over the funeral procession is central to Spencer’s account. At the time of Diana‘s death, William was 15 and Harry was 12—children by any measure, though royal protocol and public expectation weighed heavily on the family.
Spencer has previously said publicly that he was concerned about Harry in particular. In a 2017 interview, he said: “I was just so worried—what a trauma for a little chap to walk behind his mum’s body. It‘s just awful. And, actually, I tried to stop that happening, to be honest.”
What is documented is that William and Harry did walk in the procession alongside their father, their grandfather Prince Philip, and their uncle Charles Spencer. The image of the two young princes walking behind their mother’s coffin became one of the most enduring and emotionally charged moments of the funeral.
Both princes have since spoken about the experience. In the 2017 BBC documentary Diana, 7 Days, William described it as “a collective family decision.” Harry said that walking behind his mother‘s coffin aged 12 was something no child “should be asked to do.”
These are documented public statements from William and Harry. Spencer’s claim about Charles‘s alleged remark is separate and remains his own account.
Princess Diana died on August 31, 1997, in a car crash in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris. She was 36 years old. Her death triggered an unprecedented global outpouring of grief, with millions of people leaving flowers outside Kensington Palace and other royal residences.
The royal family faced intense public criticism for what was perceived as a slow and emotionally restrained response. Queen Elizabeth II eventually addressed the nation on television, and the royal family returned to London from Balmoral.
Diana‘s funeral was held on September 6, 1997, at Westminster Abbey. The procession through central London was broadcast to an estimated global audience of 2.5 billion people. Diana was buried at Althorp, her family’s ancestral estate in Northamptonshire.
Charles Spencer, 62, is the 9th Earl Spencer and Diana’s younger brother. He inherited the Spencer title and Althorp estate in 1992, following the death of his father.
Spencer delivered a widely praised eulogy at Diana‘s funeral that was later named one of the greatest speeches of the 20th century. In that speech, he famously referred to Diana as someone with “a natural nobility who was classless and who proved in the last year that she needed no royal title to continue to generate her particular brand of magic.”
He is an author and historian who has written several books. He has spoken publicly about Diana on multiple occasions, including on the 29th anniversary of her death in August 2026, when he shared photos from her gravesite with the caption “August 31—least favourite day.”
Swan Song: Diana, My Sister is scheduled for publication on September 22, 2026. It is published by Penguin Michael Joseph in the UK and Penguin Press in the US, and will be translated into 12 languages.
Spencer has described the book as his most personal work, aimed at telling “the truth about Diana from her brother‘s perspective.” He said in a press release: “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.”
The memoir covers Diana‘s marriage to Charles, the events surrounding her death, and Spencer’s relationship with his sister. It is the first time Spencer has spoken at length about these subjects.
On September 15, it was reported that four copies of the Dutch-language edition were stolen from a delivery truck in the Netherlands before publication. Police launched an investigation.
The claim has attracted significant attention for several reasons. Diana remains one of the most globally recognized and beloved public figures of the 20th century. The circumstances of her death and the royal family’s response remain a subject of enduring public interest. And the alleged quote—if true—would represent a striking expression of frustration from a future king about the mother of his children.
The timing also matters. The memoir is being published just weeks after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle returned to the UK with their children, a move that has already generated significant royal news coverage.
Buckingham Palace’s response is notable for its careful language. The spokesperson did not deny that the conversation occurred, but suggested that grief and time may have affected Spencer‘s memory. The statement references “fraternal grief” and its potential to “cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory.”
Charles and Diana married on July 29, 1981. William was born in 1982 and Harry in 1984. The marriage faced difficulties that became publicly known through Andrew Morton‘s 1992 biography and Diana’s 1995 Panorama interview, in which she said there were “three of us in the marriage.”
The couple separated in December 1992, and their divorce was finalized in August 1996. Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles in 2005. Camilla was crowned Queen Camilla alongside Charles in 2023.
These are documented historical facts. The interpretation of Charles‘s feelings toward Diana—whether “contempt” or otherwise—is not established fact, and Spencer’s characterization is his own.
Diana and Charles Spencer grew up together at Althorp as part of the Spencer family. Despite their age difference—Diana was born in 1961 and Charles in 1964—they shared a close sibling bond that Spencer has described in public comments and now in his memoir.
Spencer has said he wrote the book to correct “untruths” about Diana and to present her story from a family perspective. He remains close to both William and Harry, and reportedly hosted Harry and Meghan at Althorp during their July 2026 UK visit.
At the time of Diana‘s death, William was 15 and Harry was 12. Their participation in the funeral procession became one of the most discussed elements of the funeral, with many questioning whether children so young should have been asked to walk behind their mother’s coffin.
William and Harry have both spoken about the experience in the years since. In the 2017 documentary Diana, 7 Days, William said it was “a collective family decision.” Harry said: “My mother had just died, and I had to walk a long way behind her coffin, surrounded by thousands of people watching me while millions more did on television. I don‘t think it would happen today.”
These are their own publicly documented statements about the experience.
| Detail | Status |
|---|---|
| Princess Diana died in 1997 | Documented historical fact |
| Diana‘s funeral was held on September 6, 1997 | Documented historical fact |
| William and Harry participated in the funeral procession | Documented |
| Charles Spencer is Diana’s brother | Documented |
| Spencer wrote Swan Song: Diana, My Sister | Documented |
| The reported “we‘ll forget her soon enough” remark | Spencer’s memoir account/recollection |
| Independent recording of the conversation | No public evidence of a recording |
| Independent confirmation of the exact wording | Not independently confirmed |
This table distinguishes what is historically established from what is one person‘s memory, as recounted in his own book.
Buckingham Palace issued a statement responding to the memoir excerpt. The 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 statement does not confirm or deny the specific conversation. It suggests that Spencer‘s recollection may have been shaped by grief and the passage of time.
Princess Diana remains a global cultural figure more than 29 years after her death. Her humanitarian work—including her campaigns on landmines and HIV/AIDS awareness—left a lasting impact. Her fashion remains influential and widely referenced. Her sons, William and Harry, continue to be major public figures.
Books, documentaries, and articles about Diana continue to generate significant public interest. The reaction to Spencer‘s memoir excerpt demonstrates that the public’s fascination with her life and the circumstances of her death has not diminished.
Memoirs offer firsthand recollections that can add texture and perspective to historical narratives. But they are inherently subjective. Memory is imperfect, particularly regarding emotionally charged events that occurred decades ago. Contemporary records, multiple witnesses, and documentary evidence provide a more reliable foundation for establishing what happened.
Spencer‘s account is valuable as a brother’s perspective on a traumatic period. It should be read as that—a personal recollection—rather than as an independently verified historical record.
The Daily Mail has begun serializing the memoir and reports that it contains further claims about Diana‘s marriage and the aftermath of her death. Specific additional revelations have not been fully detailed in available reporting.
The theft of four Dutch-language copies from a delivery truck in the Netherlands has also generated attention. Police are investigating. This is a separate matter from the content of the memoir itself.
July 29, 1981: Charles and Diana marry
June 21, 1982: Prince William is born
September 15, 1984: Prince Harry is born
December 9, 1992: Charles and Diana separate
August 28, 1996: Divorce finalized
August 31, 1997: Princess Diana dies in Paris, aged 36
September 6, 1997: Diana‘s funeral at Westminster Abbey. William (15) and Harry (12) walk in the procession
September 22, 2026: Swan Song: Diana, My Sister scheduled for publication
Spencer claims in his memoir that during a phone call about funeral arrangements, Charles said: “Rest assured, we‘ll forget her soon enough.” Spencer says he was “stunned” and hung up.
The statement comes from Charles Spencer‘s memoir and is his recollection of a private conversation. It has not been independently verified. Buckingham Palace has suggested that grief may have affected Spencer’s memory.
Charles Spencer is Princess Diana‘s younger brother, the 9th Earl Spencer, and the author of Swan Song: Diana, My Sister. He delivered a widely praised eulogy at Diana’s funeral in 1997.
Swan Song: Diana, My Sister is a memoir about Diana from her brother’s perspective. It covers their shared life, her marriage, her death, and the aftermath.
The book is scheduled for publication on September 22, 2026.
William was 15 and Harry was 12 at the time of their mother‘s death in August 1997.
Yes. Both princes participated in the funeral procession on September 6, 1997, alongside their father, grandfather, and uncle.
Diana’s funeral was held at Westminster Abbey on September 6, 1997. The procession through central London was broadcast globally to an estimated 2.5 billion people. Spencer delivered a defiant eulogy that was widely praised.
They were siblings who grew up together at Althorp. Spencer has described a close bond and has spoken publicly about his sister on multiple occasions.
No. The quote is attributed to Charles Spencer‘s memoir and is his personal recollection. No recording or independent corroboration has been made public.
Spencer has said he wants to tell the truth about his sister and correct “untruths” that have been circulated. His memoir is his most extensive public discussion of Diana to date.
The memoir is being serialized in the Daily Mail ahead of its September 22 publication. It will be available in the US through Penguin Press.