Earl Spencer has initiated legal proceedings against former Cabinet minister Michael Gove over claims made in a podcast produced by The Spectator magazine, where Gove serves as editor.
Spencer, the uncle of Princes William and Harry, is challenging assertions made in the podcast, which discussed his best-selling memoir, "Swan Song." According to a spokesperson for Earl Spencer, the podcast alleged that he was on "bad terms" with his sister, Princess Diana, in the summer of 1997 before her death. The podcast also reportedly claimed that Diana had asked Spencer for permission for herself and her sons to stay at his ancestral home, Althorp, to escape the press, and that he refused.
Spencer's spokesperson has firmly denied these allegations, stating that Diana never asked to stay at Althorp that summer. The spokesperson further explained that Althorp was open to the public during those months. "She would not have done, as Althorp was open to the public throughout the summer months. But had she asked, he would have done everything possible to make it happen," the spokesperson said.
The legal action also addresses claims that Earl Spencer was "monetising her death" by publishing the book. His representative asserted that while opinions on the book are subjective, the invention of facts about his relationship with his sister is unacceptable. "Earl Spencer has asked The Spectator to correct the record. People are entitled to whatever opinion they like of his book – they are not entitled to invent how he treated his sister," the spokesperson stated.
Earl Spencer reportedly offered Diana a choice of homes on the Althorp estate, as well as the family's ancestral home Wormleighton Manor, following the breakdown of her marriage and in line with police safety advice. He has demanded the removal of the podcast from The Spectator's website.
Michael Gove has declined to comment on the matter. This legal action follows complaints Earl Spencer had previously made to Piers Morgan regarding a factual error in his memoir, "Swan Song."