King Charles allegedly sounded “giddily elated – like a lottery winner” when he called Earl Spencer after Princess Diana’s death. The claim came from Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer. He detailed the alleged conversation in his upcoming memoir about Diana. The account has brought renewed attention to the strained relationship between Diana and the former Prince of Wales.
King Charles’ alleged reaction to Princess Diana’s death resurfaces in new claim
Diana died at 36 in a Paris car crash in August 1997. In Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, Spencer recalled receiving a call from Charles and wrote, “Unlike my other callers, who were stunned, barely able to articulate their condolences and offers of help, he sounded giddily elated – like a lottery winner, I remember thinking at the time.”
According to the Daily Mail, Spencer also claimed Charles later became furious during a disagreement over whether Princes William and Harry, then 15 and 12, should walk behind Diana’s coffin. He alleged that Charles referenced his own experience at Lord Mountbatten’s funeral before telling him, “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough!”
Spencer said the remark stunned him. He responded, “I can’t believe you just said that,” before ending the call.
Buckingham Palace did not directly address the alleged conversation. A spokesperson said, “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 judgement and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss.”
The memoir arrives 29 years after Spencer delivered his eulogy at Diana’s funeral. He described his sister as a unique person who was full of “love, charisma and self-doubt.”
Swan Song: Diana, My Sister will arrive in the UK next Tuesday and will be available in 12 languages.
