EXCLUSIVE: Prince Harry 'Behind' Earl Spencer Book Amid Security Fight
Prince Harry was reportedly behind Earl Spencer's book amid a security fight.
Oct. 10 2026, Published 1:00 p.m. ET
Prince Harry has been accused of quietly influencing the furor surrounding Earl Spencer's explosive Princess Diana memoir as he continues his battle over security for his family in Britain, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Harry, 42, has remained close to his uncle Charles Spencer, 62, whose newly released Swan Song: Diana, My Sister has ignited an extraordinary dispute with King Charles, 77.
Memoir Raises Questions About Harry's Security Fight
Prince Harry was accused of quietly influencing Earl Spencer's book.
Spencer has also publicly argued Harry and his wife Meghan Markle, 45, require proper protection – drawing parallels between their treatment and the pressures Diana faced before her death in Paris in 1997.
A royal source exclusively told us: "There is inevitably suspicion about Harry's influence because of the timing, his closeness to Charles and the fact that security is once again such an important issue for him.
"Charles talking about Diana's experience while simultaneously arguing that Harry and Meghan need protection inevitably strengthens Harry's case in the court of public opinion.
"Nobody is suggesting Harry wrote the book. Charles has been very clear that this is his account. But within royal circles there are questions about whether conversations between uncle and nephew have helped shape the wider argument now surrounding it."
Althorp Visit Fuels Speculation Over Royal Ties
The Sussexes stayed with Spencer at the Althorp estate this summer.
Harry, Markle and their children stayed with Spencer at the family's Althorp estate during the summer.
The earl has argued lessons should be learned from Diana's death when considering protection for the Sussexes.
Spencer believes Harry faces particular risks because of his royal status and military service, and compared media interest in the couple with the pressures surrounding Diana.
Harry has long argued inadequate police protection makes bringing his family to Britain unsafe.
A security assessment has concluded Harry faced an "elevated" terrorist threat in Britain.
Palace Dispute Intensifies Over Memoir Claims
Spencer claimed the King told him they would soon forget Diana.
The controversy comes as Swan Song has opened another bitter chapter between Spencer and Buckingham Palace.
Among its most incendiary allegations is Spencer's claim the then-Prince Charles told him, during an argument over Diana's funeral arrangements: "Rest assured, we'll forget her soon enough."
Buckingham Palace issued a rare rebuttal questioning Spencer's account.
Spencer has insisted his recollection is accurate and denied setting out to write a "hit piece" against the King.
He accused the Palace of "gaslighting" him over its response.
Book Controversy Extends Beyond Royal Family
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Morgan threatened legal action and demanded damages over the text.
The memoir has generated controversy elsewhere.
Spencer has apologized to Piers Morgan, 61, after acknowledging he had made an incorrect assumption in the book concerning Morgan and intrusive photographs of Diana.
Morgan has threatened legal action and demanded damages.
Spencer says he wrote his 384-page memoir ahead of the 30th anniversary of his sister's death because he wanted to record his memories rather than repeatedly encounter what he regards as inaccurate accounts of Diana's life.
Another royal source said: "There is inevitably suspicion about Harry's influence on Charles' book because of the timing, his closeness to Charles and the fact that security has become such an important issue for him and Meghan again.
"Charles invoking what happened to Diana while arguing that Harry and his family require greater protection is enormously powerful. Whatever his intentions, it reinforces one of Harry's central arguments – that nobody should wait for something terrible to happen before taking the threat seriously.
"Harry and Charles are close, and the Sussexes spent time at Althorp over the summer, so naturally people are wondering what conversations took place privately. That doesn't mean Harry dictated a single word of the book, and Charles insists he didn't.
"But the themes overlap in a striking way. Diana's treatment, the consequences of relentless attention and Harry's concerns about protecting Meghan and their children are all part of the same emotionally charged territory."
