Princess Diana Considered Becoming First Lady After American Politician Courted Her, Brother Claims

Princess Diana once inquired about the possibility of becoming an American first lady after being courted by a powerful American politician who believed her marriage to him would help him win the presidency, according to her brother, Charles Spencer. Spencer shared this detail in his new memoir, "Swan Song."

Spencer wrote that Diana was more intrigued by the idea of living in the White House than by the prospect of marrying the politician, whom he described as an "elderly husband." According to Spencer, Diana found the prospect of a glamorous White House era, potentially surpassing that of Jackie Kennedy, appealing. She also saw it as a way to provoke jealousy among her detractors in the British Royal Family.

Royal Family Tensions and Personal Reflections

Spencer's memoir also sheds light on Diana's interactions with the royal family following her divorce. He recounts a conversation with then-Prince Charles after his father's funeral, during which Charles allegedly expressed resentment about his own position. Charles reportedly told Spencer he was "lucky" to inherit Althorp at a young age, while Charles himself, at 43, felt treated like a child by his parents despite employing 50 staff members.

Spencer also shared Diana's claim that Charles was "in love with his valet" when she first confided her intention to divorce. While Spencer found this improbable, he did not probe further, focusing instead on the magnitude of Diana's decision to end her marriage and her dreams.

Additionally, Spencer details an exchange with Charles after Diana's death, during which Charles allegedly stated, "Rest assured… we'll forget her soon enough!" Spencer recounted being stunned by this remark, which he interpreted as a reflection of Charles' "pent-up contempt for Diana, and his horror that the world was so bowled over by her death."

Buckingham Palace issued a rare statement in response to excerpts from Spencer's book, acknowledging that "the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and color memory."

Diana's Life Post-Divorce

Following her divorce, Diana reportedly developed a relationship with heart surgeon Dr. Hasnat Khan. Spencer wrote that Diana harbored a "naïve yet impossible" dream of moving to South Africa with Khan, where Spencer resided at the time. England had become "intolerable" to her, and she envisioned a simpler life where Khan could work at a Cape Town hospital and they could live nearby Spencer. She saw South Africa as a potential "asylum."

Spencer also touched upon the controversial 1995 BBC "Panorama" interview. He claims that Diana almost canceled the interview due to alleged falsehoods told by reporter Martin Bashir, including claims of MI6 surveillance and that her children’s nanny had an affair with Prince Charles. Spencer believes Bashir and the show's producer persuaded Diana to proceed with the interview by convincing her that her life was in "imminent" danger and that the interview was her best form of self-protection.

Childhood and Personal Interests

Spencer described his sister as having "traditionally feminine" interests. As a child, she collected stuffed animals, loved flowers (particularly forget-me-nots), and enjoyed music by The Beatles and David Bowie. She was also a fan of the soap opera "Crossroads" and reportedly watched "The Sound of Music" 16 times. As a young woman, she read romance novels by Barbara Cartland.

Spencer's book was released nearly a year before the 30th anniversary of Diana's death, which occurred in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997. Buckingham Palace has stated it will not offer further comment on the book.