Diana Memoir Rekindles Royal Family Controversy

Charles Spencer, Princess Diana’s younger brother, alleges in his forthcoming book, "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister," that then-Prince Charles sounded "giddily elated — like a lottery winner" immediately after Diana died in a Paris car crash in 1997. Spencer made the claim in an interview with CBS News scheduled to air on "CBS Sunday Morning," while excerpts from the book are being published by Britain’s Daily Mail. Spencer said Charles’s apparent upbeat mood may have reflected a sense that he was finally free to pursue Camilla, his former romantic partner and eventual wife, who is now Queen Camilla. He emphasized that he was reporting what he believed happened rather than endorsing or condemning Charles’s behavior. The allegation follows another controversial claim from the book: that Charles told Spencer shortly before Diana’s funeral, "we’ll forget her soon enough." Buckingham Palace issued an unusually forceful response to that earlier allegation, saying the king would not comment directly on the book but noting that grief can cloud judgment and color memories many years after a loss. Royal commentator Royya Nikkhah predicted that the claims could trigger a prolonged and difficult response for the royal family as more excerpts emerge. Spencer’s book also reportedly claims that Charles told Diana he did not love her before their 1981 wedding and that Diana contemplated suicide more than once. Buckingham Palace had not issued a further response to the latest allegations at the time of the report. The claims are potentially damaging to King Charles and the monarchy, although people interviewed outside Buckingham Palace expressed mixed reactions. Some voiced support for the king, while others described the renewed focus on Diana’s death and the royal marriage as unnecessary or simply sad. With the book’s publication only days away, CBS News said further excerpts and controversy were likely.

The article reports claims made by Charles Spencer, Diana’s brother and the 9th Earl Spencer, in excerpts from his forthcoming book about King Charles III’s reaction to Princess Diana’s death in 1997. According to passages published by the Daily Mail, the then-Prince Charles appeared “giddily elated” immediately after Diana died. Spencer reportedly interpreted Charles’s mood as possibly reflecting a sense that he was now freer to marry again. He also writes that Charles sounded “like a lottery winner” during this period. Spencer further claims that, in a conversation several days after Diana’s death, Charles told him: “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough”. The reported remarks present a highly controversial portrayal of Charles’s response to the death of his first wife and are likely to intensify public interest in the long-running scrutiny of the royal family’s relationship with Diana. The article notes that Charles took the unusual step of responding publicly after the first extracts from Spencer’s book appeared in the Daily Mail. Through a spokesman, Charles said that grief could affect a person’s reason, judgment and memory. The statement appears to challenge the reliability or interpretation of Spencer’s recollections without directly addressing every alleged remark. The report is based on excerpts published by the Daily Mail and attributes the claims to Spencer’s forthcoming book. It does not independently verify the conversations or establish Charles’s precise state of mind after Diana’s death. The story therefore focuses both on the allegations themselves and on the dispute over memory, grief and the interpretation of events surrounding Diana’s death.

Princess Diana’s famous “revenge dress” has gone on display in London nearly three decades after she wore it during the highly public breakdown of her marriage to then-Prince Charles. The off-the-shoulder black silk dress became one of the most recognizable symbols of the conflict between the couple, particularly because Diana wore it shortly after Charles publicly admitted to infidelity. The exhibition comes at a moment when renewed allegations about the royal couple’s relationship and Diana’s death are drawing attention to the British royal family. The article links the display to extracts from a forthcoming book by Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer. In those extracts, Spencer reportedly claims that King Charles was “giddily elated” immediately after Diana’s death. The allegation adds to continuing scrutiny of the circumstances and emotional aftermath surrounding her death. Buckingham Palace has rejected or challenged the implication, suggesting that Spencer’s recollection may have been affected by grief and personal loss. The palace’s response has created a fresh clash between Diana’s family and the monarch, while also underscoring how persistent public interest in the late princess remains. The article presents the dress as more than a piece of fashion history: it is a lasting emblem of Diana’s public defiance, the collapse of her marriage, and the enduring tensions within the royal family. Its appearance in London has therefore become intertwined with the latest dispute involving her brother and King Charles, demonstrating that Diana’s legacy continues to influence royal coverage and public discussion decades after her death.

The article reports that Buckingham Palace has firmly denied a claim that King Charles III appeared “giddily elated” after the death of Princess Diana. The allegation comes from Charles Spencer, Diana’s brother, in his forthcoming book, “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister.” The book is scheduled for publication Tuesday and recounts Spencer’s reaction to learning that Diana had died in a Paris car crash in 1997. According to the excerpt, Spencer was at his home in South Africa when he received news of his sister’s death. Diana died roughly a year after her divorce from Charles, then the Prince of Wales. The article highlights the emotionally charged nature of Spencer’s description and the palace’s unusually strong response, suggesting that the claim has revived controversy surrounding the royal family’s conduct and public reaction to Diana’s death. The excerpt does not provide the full wording or context of Spencer’s account, nor does it explain how Buckingham Palace characterized the allegation beyond rejecting it. It also does not include further evidence supporting either Spencer’s claim or the palace’s denial. Instead, the available text establishes the central dispute: a new memoir makes a striking assertion about Charles’s emotional response, while the palace disputes that portrayal. The article therefore introduces a developing controversy tied to Diana’s death, her relationship with Charles, and the continuing public interest in the circumstances surrounding the former royal couple.