Earl Spencer is set to release a memoir titled 'Swan Song: Diana, My Sister,' offering a personal account of his relationship with his late sister, Princess Diana. The book, scheduled for publication on September 22, aims to address what Spencer describes as 'untruths' that have become accepted over time regarding Diana's marriage to King Charles III and the events surrounding her death in Paris in August 1997.
Spencer, 62, stated that he was motivated to write the book due to numerous interview requests coinciding with the 30th anniversary of Diana's death. He intends to share his own thoughts and memories to provide his perspective on her life and legacy. The memoir is described as 'historic' and 'extraordinarily moving,' and is expected to cover Diana's childhood, her 15-year marriage, and the public reaction following her death. The book will be published globally and translated into 12 languages.
In a statement, Spencer emphasized his goal is to 'tell the truth about Diana from her brother's perspective,' similar to his eulogy at her funeral. He expressed a desire for the book to be a positive portrayal of Diana, highlighting her as a 'one-off, dynamic character, full of love, charisma and self-doubt.'
Spencer famously delivered a eulogy at Diana's funeral, which was watched by an estimated 2.5 billion people worldwide. In his oration, he spoke of protecting Diana's sons, Princes William and Harry, to ensure their spirits could 'sing openly.' His words were met with spontaneous applause from the crowds outside Westminster Abbey and later the congregation within.
'Swan Song' is also expected to touch upon events surrounding Diana's funeral, including a reported disagreement over Princes William and Harry walking in the procession. Prince Harry's 2023 memoir 'Spare' alluded to an objection from his uncle, who reportedly called the idea of the young princes following the coffin 'barbarity.'
Earl Spencer's past comments on Diana's legacy include reflecting on how different people connect with her memory, particularly women who may have experienced similar personal struggles. He noted that Diana's life offered a point of identification for many.
Spencer has previously spoken out about the circumstances of Diana's 1995 BBC Panorama interview, revealing in 2020 that reporter Martin Bashir allegedly used forged documents and deception to secure the interview. Spencer stated that Bashir showed him fake bank statements and falsely claimed Prince William's watch was being monitored.
Princess Diana and Charles Spencer grew up together in Norfolk. Diana affectionately called her younger brother 'Carlos,' while he referred to her as 'Duch,' short for Duchess. Their father was Viscount Johnnie Spencer, and their mother was Frances Shand Kydd. Diana was the Spencers' third daughter, and Charles was born three years later.
The book is being published by Penguin Michael Joseph. The cover features a black-and-white photograph of Diana. Publisher Daniel Bunyard described the book as having 'historic importance' and being unique due to its intimate perspective from Spencer, who is also recognized as a historian.
Reports indicate that the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and their children visited the Spencer family estate, Althorp, last month, where Diana is buried on an island in a lake.