Earl Spencer Defends Account of King Charles's Remarks Post-Diana's Death

Earl Spencer has strongly defended his account of remarks allegedly made by King Charles in the days following Princess Diana's 1997 death, stating, "I'm telling the truth." The assertion comes amid an ongoing public dispute with the Royal Family, sparked by claims in Spencer's forthcoming memoir, "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister."

In the memoir, excerpts of which have been serialized, Spencer alleges that Charles, then Prince of Wales, told him: "Rest assured, we'll forget her soon enough." This claim led to an unusual statement from Buckingham Palace, which questioned the veracity of Spencer's recollection, suggesting that "the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory." The Palace further noted that they do not comment on books as a matter of principle.

However, in a recent interview with the BBC, Earl Spencer, 62, insisted on the accuracy of his recollection. "I can tell you here and now, those are exactly the words he said," Spencer stated, adding that he was "hyper alert" during the conversation and has only had two phone calls with Prince Charles in his life. He suggested the King might be "embarrassed" rather than furious about the Palace's response.

Spencer's memoir also details his perspective on the period following Diana's funeral, particularly concerning Prince Harry. He writes that the then 12-year-old Prince Harry experienced a "lack of obvious care" and was "allowed to spin out of control" in the aftermath of his mother's death. Spencer believes that "a more caring hand" during that time could have greatly aided Harry's future well-being, describing the young prince as seeming "so very alone in his despair and torment."

The Earl recounted the funeral procession as "the most harrowing experience of my life" and "a form of mental torture." He also shared a poignant memory of reading his eulogy at the Chapel Royal, where he felt Diana was applauding his words.

Earlier in the week, The Mail reported that Spencer had rejected an offer from Queen Elizabeth II to restore his sister's Her Royal Highness title shortly after the funeral, as the Spencer family traveled by Royal Train for Diana's burial.

Buckingham Palace has declined to comment on the latest extracts from Spencer's memoir or his recent BBC interview. Meanwhile, Kemi Badenoch, a Conservative Party leader, publicly supported the King, stating she was "always on the side of His Majesty."