Richard Kay, a personal and professional acquaintance of the late Princess Diana, has voiced his confusion regarding a particular anecdote included in Earl Spencer's new memoir, 'Swan Song: Diana, My Sister.' Kay, now Senior Editor-at-Large, shared his perspective on the Daily Mail's Palace Confidential program, highlighting an exchange that he finds particularly perplexing.
Extracts from the memoir, which were serialized by the Daily Mail ahead of its publication, have drawn attention, including a notable rebuke from Buckingham Palace. This response followed Earl Spencer's claim that King Charles III, then Prince of Wales, told him, 'Rest assured, we'll forget her soon enough!' during discussions about Diana's funeral arrangements. A Palace spokesperson stated that while the institution does not comment on books, the King is 'mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory.'
Kay, who spoke with Spencer several times in the week following Diana's death and took notes of their confidential conversations, indicated that some of what the Earl confided then aligns with the memoir's content. However, one specific story, reportedly occurring as Diana's marriage to Prince Charles was deteriorating, left Kay 'mystified' and questioning Spencer's intentions.
The anecdote recounts a dinner at San Lorenzo, a restaurant favored by Diana. During the meal, Diana allegedly told Spencer, whom she called 'Carlos,' "Carlos, I'm going to get a divorce." According to the book, Spencer advised her to consider carefully, warning that the public might turn against her. Diana then reportedly responded, "Carlos, he's in love with his valet."
Spencer's memoir notes that Diana never identified the staff member, and he never inquired further into the claim. Kay expressed his bewilderment about why Spencer chose to include this particular detail, predicting that readers would immediately speculate about the identity of the valet.
"I have to say, I'm mystified why he should need to use that anecdote," Kay told Palace Confidential. "They're going to ask, was it true? But I think the main question they're going to have, and I'm afraid it's one I really don't have an answer for, is why did he put it in there?"
Kay speculated that Spencer might have included the anecdote as a form of posthumous retribution, suggesting, "Charles Spencer, to use that rather well-worn cliché about revenge being a dish best served cold, decided to put it in for that reason."
Earl Spencer has since defended the inclusion of the exchange, telling the BBC that it occurred within the context of a conversation where Diana was expressing that her marriage was over. Kay's full analysis is available on YouTube.