Queen Elizabeth Offered to Restore Princess Diana's Royal Title on Day of Her Funeral, Memoir Claims

Queen Elizabeth II offered to restore Princess Diana's Her Royal Highness (HRH) title on the day of her funeral, according to claims in Earl Charles Spencer's new memoir, "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister." The revelation has intensified a public dispute between the Earl and Buckingham Palace.

Spencer, Diana's younger brother, states that he was informed of the Queen's offer by Robert Fellowes, the Queen's Private Secretary and Spencer's brother-in-law, as they traveled to Althorp, the Spencer family estate, for Diana's burial. The Princess of Wales had lost her HRH title a year prior, in August 1996, following her divorce from Prince Charles.

According to the memoir, Diana had been deeply hurt by the "petty and vindictive" removal of her title. Despite the Queen's "well-meaning" gesture, Earl Spencer recounts deciding to reject the offer, believing it to be a "consolation prize." He wrote that he felt Diana would have seen no point in the posthumous restoration, stating, "Now? I mean – Diana's dead."

He later reflected on this decision, questioning whether he had made the right choice, and mused that "maybe Diana would have seen some point in having HRH carved on her tombstone." However, he maintained that the offer felt hollow, asserting, "The title should never have been removed during her life, in which case it would not have been necessary to offer it to her in death."

![The front cover of Charles Spencer's book "Swan Song, Diana: My Sister"]( "The front cover of Charles Spencer's book "Swan Song, Diana: My Sister"" ) The book also includes other claims about Diana's marriage and the lead-up to her death. Spencer alleges that Diana told her father a month before her wedding that she could not go through with the marriage, but was told it was "impossible to pull out." He further claims that on the day before the wedding, Prince Charles informed Diana that while he was happy to marry her, he was not in love with her. The memoir also suggests Diana considered suicide and drove herself to Beachy Head cliffs on multiple occasions due to unhappiness.

These assertions have prompted a strong reaction from Buckingham Palace, which issued an unusual statement suggesting that "the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory." Royal aides have reportedly described the Earl's accounts as "demonstrably untrue." The Palace's response has drawn parallels to Queen Elizabeth's past remark, "recollections may vary," made in reference to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's interview with Oprah Winfrey.

Julian Payne, King Charles's former communications secretary, stated that the King had instructed staff for years after Diana's death to respect her memory and not undermine it. Payne added that Charles was "absolutely emphatic" on this point.

Prince Harry was reportedly aware of his uncle's memoir but had not read it or been briefed on its contents, despite spending time at Althorp during the summer.

Earl Spencer announced the book last month, stating his intention to share his own memories ahead of the 30th anniversary of Diana's death. The memoir aims to offer his perspective on his sister's marriage and her relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles.