Princess Diana's Brother Expresses Fears of Her Death in New Memoir

Charles Spencer, brother of the late Princess Diana, has recounted his fears for her safety and her difficult relationship with the royal family in his new memoir, "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister." The book, published by Penguin Press, explores Diana's life, her struggles within the royal family, and the enduring mystery surrounding her death in August 1997.

Spencer writes that he harbored a persistent fear that his sister would eventually be killed. "I always believed she’d be killed in the end. It was only a matter of time," he states in the book, according to excerpts. He also reveals that Diana felt marginalized and belittled by her royal in-laws, with her husband, the future King Charles III, reportedly saying, "We’ll forget her soon enough" and making her feel "stupid."

Spencer describes Buckingham Palace as unsupportive of Diana and notes that her husband was "extremely jealous of Diana’s star power." The memoir touches on the night of the fatal car crash in Paris, suggesting that the circumstances of her death have never been fully reported or understood, unlike the public's focus on the Queen's composed appearance at the funeral.

The author reflects on the stark contrast between the intense public scrutiny and mourning following Diana's death and the swiftness with which the news cycle moved on. He questions the lack of transparency surrounding the event, noting that in today's hyper-connected world with constant media and social media coverage, such a tragic incident involving a public figure would be dissected in minute detail. "Accident? Skilled driver? Royalty? In public? And nobody knows nothing?" Spencer questions, implying that significant information may have been withheld.

The book's release and its candid revelations come nearly 30 years after Princess Diana's death. Despite the passage of time, Spencer suggests that the full truth about that night remains elusive, with no one daring to offer definitive accounts.

A Stolen Picasso and a Legal Battle

In a separate matter, the article touches upon a legal dispute involving a stolen Pablo Picasso painting, "Woman in an Armchair." The artwork, painted by Picasso in Biarritz, France, in 1918 during his honeymoon, was acquired by Solomon Guggenheim for his foundation in 1936. It was later lent to the University of Pittsburgh in 1960, where it subsequently disappeared and was reportedly stolen from the student union. Chubb Insurance paid $7,000 for the loss at the time.

More recently, the painting resurfaced and was put up for sale at Christie's. The Guggenheim Foundation has now filed a lawsuit against Lawrence and Wendy Cohen Handler, who claim to have purchased the stolen artwork in 1999 from the Beadleston Gallery in New York. The Handlers are seeking to retain possession of the painting, while the Guggenheim Foundation is demanding its return.