King Charles came under fresh scrutiny after Charles Spencer’s memoir revived a disputed claim about Princess Diana’s death. The monarch was accused of remarking that royal commentator Jennie Bond called part of it an “ugly picture.”
Still, Bond stressed she could not determine which account was correct. She said the week after Diana’s death was deeply traumatic. The palace also issued an unusually swift response challenging Spencer’s recollection and judgment.
Expert reacts to Charles Spencer’s bombshell claims about King Charles in Princess Diana’s memoir
As per a GB News interview shared on X, royal commentator Jennie Bond addressed the claims. She called Charles Spencer’s allegations “pretty jaw-dropping” and noted the palace responded almost immediately. Bond described its statement as “recollections might vary, with bells on.” Buckingham Palace said “fraternal grief can cloud reason” and “affect judgment and color memory.” However, Bond added, “I don’t know which side is right.” She also recalled that “everybody was traumatized” during that week.
Meanwhile, Bond turned to the alleged remark about Princess Diana. According to “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister,” Charles allegedly said, “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.” Bond noted Spencer claimed the words were “hissed.” She said the memoir portrayed “pent-up contempt” and horror over the public reaction to Diana’s death. “It paints a very ugly picture,” Bond said. Still, she stressed trauma can affect people differently. She said people may say things they later regret or simply forget.
For context, the alleged exchange centered on Princess Diana’s September 6, 1997, funeral. Charles Spencer opposed William and Harry, then 15 and 12, walking behind their mother’s coffin. Bond said Spencer considered the idea “barbaric.” Meanwhile, the then-Prince Charles cited his own experience at Lord Mountbatten’s 1979 funeral. However, Spencer reportedly argued that Charles had been 30 at the time, unlike the grieving boys. Bond said the conversation allegedly escalated afterward. Even so, she concluded the memoir had created “one other huge royal rumpus and a right mess.”
