LONDON — Buckingham Palace issued a statement on September 16, 2026, responding to claims in Charles Spencer's memoir. The palace challenged the credibility of the Earl Spencer regarding allegations detailed in his upcoming book "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister". "It was astonishingly provocative and below the belt because it was essentially trying to say I’d lied without the king being able to deny what I’d said," Charles Spencer said.

"I can tell you here and now, those are exactly the words he said," Spencer said. "I have a duty, as an eyewitness to history, in the final season of my life," Spencer said.

Spencer described the response as an attempt to discredit his account without addressing the specific allegations. "It is not every day you wake up to find you’ve been gaslit by the king," Spencer stated in an interview with the Mail on Sunday. He added that the statement was "astonishingly provocative and below the belt because it was essentially trying to say I’d lied without the king being able to deny what I’d said."

King Charles III attended an AI summit at Dumfries House in Scotland on September 16, 2026, the same day the palace released its rebuttal. The statement was described as unusual for a royal institution that typically avoids public commentary on books or internal family matters. Charles Spencer's memoir "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister" is scheduled for publication on September 22, 2026.

Prince William and Prince Harry have not publicly commented on Charles Spencer's memoir. Spencer, who is the maternal uncle of William, Prince of Wales, and Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex, has denied that his work is motivated by financial gain or score-settling.

Timeline

On July 28, 1981, Charles Spencer claims in his memoir that King Charles III told Princess Diana the night before their wedding that he was happy to marry her but not in love with her. On August 31, 1997, Charles Spencer claims in his memoir that King Charles III sounded "giddily elated" and "like a lottery winner" when they spoke by phone immediately after Princess Diana's death. On September 6, 1997, Charles Spencer claims in his memoir that royal officials insisted Prince William and Prince Harry walk in Princess Diana's funeral procession to protect King Charles III from public abuse. Also on September 6, 1997, Charles Spencer claims in his memoir that Queen Elizabeth II offered to restore Princess Diana's HRH title after her death, but Spencer rejected the offer.

On September 16, 2026, Buckingham Palace issued a statement responding to claims in Charles Spencer's memoir. The Buckingham Palace statement 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 color memory in ways others do not recognize, even many years after such a loss." On September 16, 2026, King Charles III attended an AI summit at Dumfries House in Scotland.

What's New

Later reporting includes Charles Spencer's claim that King Charles III commented on Princess Diana's weight shortly after their engagement, saying: "Oh, a bit chubby here, aren’t we?" Charles Spencer stated in an interview regarding King Charles III's alleged reaction to Diana's death: "I said that that might've been it, yeah. But that's obviously, I can't say what he was thinking, but I'm trying to think why would somebody feel giddy at that time." Charles Spencer stated in an interview that he believed the idea of Prince William and Prince Harry walking in the funeral procession was to protect King Charles III from insults, and that he was lied to about the boys' willingness.

Charles Spencer stated in an interview: "With the 30th anniversary of her death coming up next year, I was getting inundated with requests to be in somebody else's book or documentary. And it suddenly occurred to me, well, if you're all so interested in hearing from me, I might just give you the definitive story. Charles Spencer stated in an interview regarding tabloid coverage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle: If you look at an article in a tabloid about Diana or the couple that you were mentioning, Harry and Meghan, you know, they can be really, really unpleasant." Charles Spencer stated in an interview: "She said it was very difficult, even from her first royal tour overseas, which was to Australia, how if she was on one side of the street with the public and [Charles] was on the other, the crowd on his side of the street were less thrilled, and that this was very difficult for him. Charles Spencer stated in an interview regarding Prince Harry's difficulties: I do sometimes wonder with the situation, if I can call it that.. I think the broader one of Harry's feelings, I wonder how much it is connected to this very sad time. He was so young. And I just wonder if a gentler, more understanding treatment of his grief then might have helped him, and that everyone might have found a happier course ahead." The Times published an apology in 2021 for falsely alleging that Charles Spencer prevented Princess Diana from living in a cottage on the Althorp estate, which Spencer repeatedly denied.

How Sources Differ

Charles Spencer claims King Charles III sounded "giddily elated" and "like a lottery winner" when they spoke by phone immediately after Princess Diana's death, while the memoir also claims that Princess Diana's waist shrank from 29 inches to 23.5 inches between her engagement and wedding. Charles Spencer claims King Charles III commented on Princess Diana's weight shortly after their engagement, saying: "Oh, a bit chubby here, aren’t we?", while the memoir also claims that Princess Diana's waist shrank from 29 inches to 23.5 inches between her engagement and wedding. Charles Spencer claims King Charles III told him during a phone call regarding funeral arrangements: "Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.", while the memoir also claims that Princess Diana's waist shrank from 29 inches to 23.5 inches between her engagement and wedding.

The publication schedule lists Charles Spencer's memoir "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister" as scheduled for publication on September 22, 2026, while the memoir also claims that Princess Diana's waist shrank from 29 inches to 23.5 inches between her engagement and wedding. Buckingham Palace issued a statement on September 16, 2026, responding to claims in Charles Spencer's memoir, while the memoir also claims that Princess Diana's waist shrank from 29 inches to 23.5 inches between her engagement and wedding. Charles Spencer claims in his memoir that Princess Diana's waist shrank from 29 inches to 23.5 inches between her engagement and wedding, while reports indicate Charles Spencer stated in an interview that he included a specific line in his eulogy at Princess Diana's funeral, ending it by saying she would 'never be extinguished from our minds', to counter King Charles III's alleged comment that 'we'll forget her soon enough'. Charles Spencer claims in his memoir that Princess Diana's waist shrank from 29 inches to 23.5 inches between her engagement and wedding, while reports indicate Charles Spencer revealed in his memoir that he and Princess Diana both had ADHD.

Why It Matters

The dispute shows a rare public breach between the monarchy and a senior family member, with Buckingham Palace issuing an unusually forceful statement challenging the memory of a grieving relative. The allegations touch on longstanding questions about the royal family's handling of Princess Diana's mental health and the circumstances surrounding her death, issues that have persisted since her passing in 1997.

Spencer's position as the maternal uncle of Prince William and Prince Harry places him at the center of ongoing discussions about the legacy of Diana and the impact of her death on her sons. The lack of public comment from William and Harry leaves open the question of how the next generation of royals will respond to these renewed allegations, while the upcoming publication of the full memoir may reveal further details that could intensify the debate.