Earl Charles Spencer’s memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, has triggered a sharp public divide following allegations that the then-Prince of Wales expressed contempt and claimed the world would soon forget Princess Diana after her 1997 death. Buckingham Palace pushed back against the book as a YouGov study showed Britons split on the claims.
A brewing war of words between Buckingham Palace and Earl Charles Spencer has spilled into public view ahead of the release of the author’s explosive new book. The memoir, titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, details deep-seated tensions surrounding the aftermath of Princess Diana’s tragic death and accuses the then-Prince of Wales of reacting to the tragedy with severe hostility.
Explosive Memoir Claims and Buckingham Palace’s Swift Pushback
Serialization in the Daily Mail revealed accusations that Earl Spencer was excluded from funeral planning decisions due to friction between royal teams. The book alleges that King Charles unleashed pent-up contempt over the intense global mourning for Diana.
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.
Earl Charles Spencer, via GB News
Further allegations reported by the Daily Star claim that King Charles was giddily elated like a lottery winner
when he contacted Earl Spencer following Diana’s death in 1997. Buckingham Palace issued a rare and pointed response challenging the book’s reliability.
“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.”
Buckingham Palace, via BBC and GB News
Public Division Measured in Recent Polling Data
The public reaction to the royal controversy is decidedly mixed, according to a YouGov study of 4,833 Britons. Approximately 36 per cent of respondents believe the accusation is probably or definitely not true, while 31 per cent think the statement is at least probably true. An additional 33 per cent remain unsure about the allegations.
Generational divides define the public split over the monarch. Older citizens demonstrate the highest level of sympathy for the King, with 47 per cent of those aged 65 and over suspecting the claims are false, compared to just six per cent who view them as certain truths. Scepticism toward the monarch peaks among younger demographics; among 25 to 49-year-olds, 34 per cent believe the claims are at least probably true, while only six per cent in that group consider the allegations definitively baseless.
Upcoming Release and the Continuing Stand-Off
The controversy surrounds a book scheduled to arrive in stores across the UK on Tuesday, September 22. Buckingham Palace has maintained a strict stance of silence beyond its initial statement, declining to comment further when approached by media outlets.
As the publication date approaches, the standoff highlights enduring sensitivities surrounding the events of 1997.