EXCLUSIVE: Earl Spencer Faces Backlash Over 'Reopening Painful Wounds' With Shocking Diana Book Amid King Charles' Cancer Fight
Earl Spencer is in hot water over his new Princess Diana book.
Sept. 18 2026, Published 6:00 p.m. ET
Earl Spencer is facing a fierce backlash over his explosive portrayal of King Charles in a new memoir about Princess Diana, with critics questioning why he has reopened some of the monarchy's most painful wounds while the King continues his life after a cancer diagnosis.
RadarOnline.com can reveal Spencer, 62, makes a series of extraordinary allegations about Charles, 77, in Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, including that the then Prince of Wales sounded "giddily elated" after Diana was killed in a Paris car crash in 1997.
Earl Spencer's Princess Diana Claims Spark Royal Family Backlash
Spencer is facing intense backlash over explosive claims in his Princess Diana memoir.
He also claims Charles later told him during an argument over her funeral: "Rest assured, we'll forget her soon enough."
Buckingham Palace has issued a rare and pointed response questioning Spencer's recollection.
The timing has intensified criticism of Spencer because Charles publicly disclosed in 2024 he had been diagnosed with cancer and had begun treatment. He has since returned to an extensive program of public engagements, including appearances connected with cancer charities and treatment centers.
A royal source claimed to Radar: "There is genuine shock at just how brutal these claims are and at the decision to unleash them now. The King is still undergoing treatment for cancer, and yet suddenly he is being dragged back into the most traumatic period of his life and confronted with allegations about what he supposedly said almost 30 years ago.
"Some of the reaction online has been absolutely savage. There are people effectively asking what Earl Spencer is trying to achieve and using appalling language suggesting he wants to literally kill off a sick man. Nobody responsible is saying that is Earl Spencer's intention, but it demonstrates the level of anger the book has provoked."
Buckingham Palace Challenges Earl Spencer's Recollection
Buckingham Palace issued a rare and pointed response challenging his recollection.
Another royal insider claimed: "Charles is not simply the King in this story. He is a 77-year-old man who has been receiving treatment for cancer. That inevitably makes the timing of Spencer's revelations feel particularly uncomfortable to people around him, because these are deeply personal allegations that strike at his character and his relationship with the mother of his children.
"There is also bewilderment about why this particular battle needs to be fought again now. Earl Spencer is entitled to publish his memories, and he clearly believes passionately in his version of events, but the Palace has taken the highly unusual step of challenging that recollection. That tells you how seriously this is being taken."
The insider noted, "What has particularly angered people sympathetic to the King is the implication that Charles somehow welcomed Diana's death. Those around him have always maintained that he was devastated, concerned for William and Harry and heavily involved in ensuring Diana was treated with the appropriate dignity after her death.
"Nobody disputes that Charles and Earl Spencer could have exchanged furious words during an unimaginably emotional week. The issue is whether words spoken – or remembered – in those circumstances almost three decades ago justify portraying the King in such devastating terms today."
"The accusation that Charles sounded 'giddily elated' over Diana's death is extraordinary because it goes beyond recounting a disagreement," the source claimed. "It invites people to draw conclusions about how he felt about Diana's death. That is why the response has been so intense and why Buckingham Palace clearly felt that remaining completely silent was no longer an option.
"Earl Spencer says he is trying to tell Diana's story from the perspective of the brother who loved her. The King's supporters see something very different – an old family conflict being reopened at an exceptionally difficult point in Charles' life. That clash between those two interpretations is only going to become more heated as further extracts emerge."
Princess Diana's Funeral Dispute Reopened in New Memoir
Spencer opposed Prince William and Prince Harry walking behind Princess Diana's coffin.
Spencer's book centers on the extraordinary days following the death of his sister Diana, 36, and his increasingly bitter disagreements with her former husband over how she should be mourned and buried.
He alleges Charles' manner during an initial telephone conversation following Diana's death struck him as profoundly inappropriate.
The tensions between Spencer and Charles are said to have escalated as preparations began for Diana's funeral at Westminster Abbey.
Spencer strongly opposed plans for Prince William, then 15, and Prince Harry, then 12, to walk behind their mother's coffin.
The procession ultimately included both boys alongside Charles, Spencer and Prince Philip.
According to Spencer, an argument with Charles about the decision became increasingly heated before the prince allegedly made the remark that Diana would soon be forgotten.
Royal Response Highlights Disputed Memories
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Spencer's book is set to revisit the days after Princess Diana's death.
Buckingham Palace broke with its usual practice of declining to address royal books and issued an unusually personal response.
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 judgement and color memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss."
The intervention underlined the seriousness with which the Palace regards the allegation.
Spencer maintains the book represents his own memories of Diana and the traumatic period surrounding her death.
He has said: "The aim of this book is to tell the truth about Diana from her brother's perspective… I want to speak on Diana's behalf and do so in an openly positive way."
Charles' behavior following Diana's death has also been cited by those challenging Spencer's characterization.
The then prince traveled to Paris to accompany his former wife's body back to Britain before attending her funeral with William and Harry.
Spencer nevertheless argues the private exchanges he witnessed presented a very different picture of the relationship between the former couple.
His memoir is due to be published on September 22.
