King Charles III has responded publicly to allegations made by Charles Spencer, the younger brother of the late Princess Diana, concerning the events surrounding her funeral in 1997.
The unusual statement from Buckingham Palace came after reports emerged about Spencer’s forthcoming memoir, in which he recounts a dispute with the then-Prince Charles following Diana’s death.
According to excerpts reported ahead of the book’s publication, Spencer claims that Charles told him, “rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.” The alleged remark was reportedly made during an argument about whether Diana’s sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, should walk behind their mother’s coffin during the funeral procession.
Spencer is said to have opposed the idea, while the decision was ultimately taken for the two young princes to participate in the procession alongside other members of the royal family.
Buckingham Palace did not directly address the substance of the allegation. Instead, a spokesperson issued a carefully worded response emphasizing the potential effects of bereavement on a person’s recollection and judgment.
“While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss,” the spokesperson said.
The comments represent an unusual intervention by the King, given the royal household’s longstanding practice of avoiding direct responses to claims contained in books or memoirs.
Diana died on August 31, 1997, at the age of 36 after the Mercedes carrying her and Egyptian businessman Dodi Al Fayed crashed in Paris. The vehicle was being pursued by paparazzi photographers on motorcycles.
Her death triggered an extraordinary public reaction in Britain and around the world. Millions of people mourned Diana, while her funeral procession became one of the most widely watched royal events of the modern era.
At the time of her death, Diana had been divorced from Charles for about a year. The couple had married in 1981 in a ceremony watched by a global television audience, but their relationship deteriorated during the following years. Their divorce was finalized in 1996.
William and Harry were 15 and 12 respectively when their mother died. Their decision to walk behind Diana’s coffin through central London has remained one of the most discussed aspects of the funeral.
Spencer, who was closely involved in the funeral arrangements and delivered a highly critical address at Diana’s funeral, has now revisited the period in his forthcoming memoir.
Ahead of publication, he said the book was intended to present Diana’s story from the perspective of her brother.
“The aim of this book is to tell the truth about Diana from her brother’s perspective,” Spencer said. “I want to speak on Diana’s behalf and do so in an openly positive way.”
The memoir is expected to renew public discussion about Diana’s relationship with the royal family and the circumstances surrounding the aftermath of her death.
The reported exchange between Spencer and Charles cannot currently be independently verified. The account comes from Spencer’s forthcoming memoir, with excerpts being published ahead of the book’s release. Photo by Arnaud Bouissou, Wikimedia commons.
