Earl Spencer Accuses King Charles of "Gaslighting" Over Memoir Claims

Earl Spencer has accused King Charles of "gaslighting" him in a significant escalation of their dispute over the contents of Spencer's new memoir, "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister." The accusation comes after a Palace spokesman suggested that "fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory."

Speaking in his first newspaper comments since the controversy erupted, Spencer, 62, described the Palace's statement as a form of psychological abuse where a victim is manipulated into questioning their own reality. He also characterized the statement as a "poor imitation" of Queen Elizabeth II's "recollections may vary" remark made after Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey.

"It is not every day you wake up to find you've been gaslit by the King," Spencer stated. "It was astonishingly provocative and below the belt because it was essentially trying to say I'd lied without the King being able to deny what I'd said."

Spencer's memoir includes an explosive claim that days after Princess Diana's 1997 death, the then Prince Charles told him, "Rest assured, we'll forget her soon enough." This alleged comment was reportedly made during a heated argument about whether Princes William and Harry should participate in their mother's funeral procession.

Spencer maintains that his primary motivation for writing the book is to share the truth about Diana's life and her experiences, from the perspective of the brother who grew up with her. He denied claims that he is motivated by financial gain, stating, "Money has never even been the remotest consideration in my choosing to write my tribute to Diana." He believes his late sister would have supported his efforts, asserting, "Diana would be cheering from the rafters at this book, I have no doubt about that."

He revealed that he informed close friends and family about Prince Charles's alleged outburst immediately, deeming it "so monstrous." Richard Kay, a confidant of Princess Diana, recalled Spencer telling him in the week before the funeral about a "furious row" and describing Prince Charles as "utterly pathetic."

In his memoir, Spencer also expresses regret for omitting Dodi Fayed's name from his eulogy for Diana. He further details a conversation with Prince Charles at his father's funeral, where he claims the future king told him he was "so lucky" to inherit the family estate in his twenties, and allegedly stamped his foot like a "petulant" child.

The Palace has maintained its stance, stating, "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."

However, some public figures have defended King Charles and questioned Spencer's account. Veteran broadcaster David Dimbleby suggested Spencer has questions to answer regarding his role in the events leading up to Diana's 1995 interview with the BBC's Martin Bashir. Former MP Rory Stewart expressed disbelief at Spencer's claims about the King's alleged remarks, stating it is "not his character, it's not his personality."