EXCLUSIVE: King Charles' Former Staff Defending Him Amid Monarch's Diana Memoir 'PR Fightback'
Ex-staff have rallied behind King Charles amid the Princess Diana memoir row.
Sept. 29 2026, Published 8:00 p.m. ET
King Charles's former staff are publicly rallying to his defense as part of a growing fightback against Charles Spencer's explosive portrayal of the monarch's reaction to Princess Diana's death, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Grant Harrold, who worked as Charles' butler from 2004 to 2011, is among those who have challenged allegations in Spencer's Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, including the claim that the then-Prince of Wales sounded "giddily elated" following Diana's death at age 36 in Paris in 1997.
'The Intention Is Not to Attack Charles Spencer Personally'
King Charles' former butler, Grant Harrold, defended him against Charles Spencer's claims.
Harrold said his own experience demonstrated that Charles, 77, continued privately remembering his former wife years later.
A royal source claimed: "Grant isn't the only former member of staff who feels extremely strongly about what has been written. There are people who served Charles at different stages of his life who simply don't recognize the man Spencer describes.
"Some former staffers with public profiles are being quietly encouraged to speak about their own experiences. Nobody is being handed a script, but there is certainly a feeling that people who genuinely witnessed Charles' behavior should not remain silent while this portrayal becomes accepted as historical fact.
"It's about developing into a PR fightback because Spencer's allegations are extraordinarily damaging."
The insider noted, "The Palace cannot answer every passage in a memoir, whereas former employees can provide personal recollections that challenge this image of Charles as cold or indifferent toward Diana.
"Grant is therefore significant, but he shouldn't be viewed in isolation. Others are considering speaking publicly because they believe their experiences tell a very different story.
"The intention is not to attack Spencer personally. It's to ensure his account isn't the only version people hear."
Former Butler Recalls Private Remembrance
King Charles has taken private walks while remembering Princess Diana, according to sources.
Spencer, 62, alleges Charles told him "we'll forget her soon enough" during an angry telephone conversation concerning Diana's funeral.
Harrold, however, said Charles's behavior while he worked for him suggested Diana remained in his thoughts.
He said: "The King used to go up to Scotland on the anniversary of Diana's death, staying at Birkhall."
Harrold added: "He used to go out for a long walk in the afternoon, which I always believed was his time to reflect and remember Diana in private, away from the eyes of the public and staff. She was very much on his mind every year on the anniversary.
"In some of the royal homes, they kept some of Diana's things out – things like photos of trinkets. They were there so she wasn't forgotten. Why would the King have done this if he didn't want to keep her memory alive?"
Palace Responds to Disputed Memoir Claims
Harrold revealed the King regularly marked Princess Diana's anniversary in Scotland.
Spencer also claims Charles's reaction immediately after Diana's death was unlike that of other callers offering condolences.
He writes Charles sounded "giddily elated – like a lottery winner" and suggests he may initially have considered how Diana's death could eventually allow him to marry the woman he loved.
Buckingham Palace has issued a rare and unusually direct response disputing the reliability of Spencer's recollections.
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Spencer's memoir renewed scrutiny of King Charles and Princess Diana's marriage.
A spokesman 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."
Spencer's book has reignited scrutiny of the breakdown of Charles and Diana's marriage and the decisions surrounding her funeral as the 30th anniversary of her death approaches next year, in August 2027.
