Earl Spencer's Diana memoir sparks row with King Charles

Summarised from 11 outlets · 29 reports · Updated 24 Sept, 23:19 · Archive

Charles Spencer's memoir about his sister Princess Diana makes allegations about King Charles III, prompting a dispute over accuracy.

Charles Spencer has published a memoir about his late sister Princess Diana titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister. The book contains allegations about King Charles III, including a claim that the King said 'we'll forget her soon enough' after Diana's death. Spencer has accused King Charles of 'gaslighting' him after Buckingham Palace questioned his account of events. The Palace responded by stating that 'grief can cloud reason'. The memoir has also prompted legal action, with broadcaster Piers Morgan threatening to sue over claims that he was behind intrusive photos of Diana; Spencer subsequently apologised to Morgan for the inaccuracy.

How it is being reported

• Princess Diana’s former butler recalls King’s reaction to her death after Earl Spencer claimsYahoo News UK · 24 Sept, 08:08
• Diana's former butler Paul Burrell slams Earl Spencer's 'revengeful' book as full of 'jealousy'Princess Diana's butler Paul Burrell has hit back at claims made about the King in Earl Spencer's book as he says he 'does not recognise' what her brother has writtenThe Mirror · 24 Sept, 01:39
• I wasn't setting out to do a hit piece on King Charles, says Earl Spencer of his book about sister Diana as he insists: 'I stand by the truth'The Earl appeared on Lorraine in his first live television interview to promote his searing memoir - being exclusively serialised by the Daily Mail - Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, which was published on Tuesday.Daily Mail · 23 Sept, 20:42
• ‘And you will be the People’s Earl’ – Charles Spencer’s Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, digested by John CraceThe earl on his globally lauded eulogy for Diana, King Charles’s sausage fingers and toxic Raine, topped off with a lavish sprinkling of adverbs Cheers cried out throughout the land. Halley’s comet made an unscheduled appearance in the ethereal night sky. In very heaven, angelic choirs rang out. A saviour had been born. A light to lighten the world. But enough about me. For this paragraph at least. In my universally acclaimed funeral address , I aimed to speak for my sister. The real Diana. For only I truly knew her. She had the heart of a lion. And I had a glut of cliches. Yet when Diana…The Guardian · 23 Sept, 16:12
• Earl Spencer insists Diana book ‘isn’t a hit piece against King Charles’ and claims he has ‘no regrets’Princess Diana’s brother has defended his bombshell memoir, claiming he has told the truth about the monarch’s comments after the princess’ deathThe Mirror · 23 Sept, 12:08
• Prince Harry and Prince William awkwardly dodge questions about uncle Charles Spencer’s Princess Diana memoir"Swan Song: Diana, My Sister,” Spencer's book about his late sister, Diana, was released worldwide on Tuesday.New York Post · 22 Sept, 19:36
• Piers Morgan launches furious tirade on 'disgusting' Earl Spencer after publishing 'defamatory lies' in new memoir: 'Apology is not enough!'Piers Morgan has launched a blistering attack on Earl Spencer's "disgusting lies" after publishing false claims about him in a new book about his late sister, Princess Diana. Speaking to GB News after announcing legal action against the late Earl Spencer, Mr Morgan declared the controversial memoir must be "pulped" and withdrawn from shop shelves. Following the claims made in his new book, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, Earl Spencer issued a formal apology to Piers Morgan after conceding he made a mistake about the broadcaster and former newspaper editor. Earl Spencer wrongly claimed that Mr…GB News · 22 Sept, 18:58
• New Princess Diana memoir hits shelves amid royal tensionsCharles Spencer’s memoir on Princess Diana goes on sale after claims about King Charles and the 1997 funeral prompt a rare, sharp response from Buckingham Palace.Euronews · 22 Sept, 17:50
• Earl Spencer's digs at major royals in new book - from insulting late Queen to Princess AnnePrincess Diana’s brother Earl Spencer’s bombshell new book on his late sister has finally been released - and there are several unflattering allegations about other royals, as well as King CharlesThe Mirror · 22 Sept, 16:44
• Earl Spencer apologises to Piers Morgan over ‘incorrect assumption’Brother of Diana, Princess of Wales, says ‘accuracy is important’ as he responds to broadcaster’s threat to sue over claims made in memoir Earl Spencer has apologised to Piers Morgan for incorrectly claiming in his new book about Diana, Princess of Wales, that the former tabloid editor was behind the publication of intrusive photos of the late royal in the mid-1990s. Morgan had earlier threatened to sue Spencer over “fabricated inaccuracies” and “examples of brazen falsity” in the book, which was published today. Continue reading...The Guardian · 22 Sept, 16:09
• Lady Diana: Spencer’s memoir on Diana reignites royal controversyPrince Charles married with Lady Diana in 1981. The couple divorced in 1996 and a decade later Charles married Camilla Parker Bowles, now Queen Camilla. Spencer has long clashed with the royals over their treatment of his older sister.France 24 · 22 Sept, 15:59
• Prince William ignores awkward question about Earl Spencer’s book and smiling Charles shrugs off rowBoth the Prince and Wales and the monarch swerved the drama surrounding the Earl’s bombshell book, which was released today, as they carried on business as usualThe Mirror · 22 Sept, 13:57
• New book by Princess Diana's brother sparks royal ruckusA new book published Tuesday by the brother of the late Princess Diana has made headlines around the world with its damning allegations about Diana's ex-husband, now King Charles III, and reopened decades-old wounds within Britain's royal family. France 24's correspondent in London Benedicte Paviot has the details.France 24 · 22 Sept, 13:09
• Piers Morgan says he will sue Earl Spencer over ‘fabricated inaccuracies’Broadcaster refutes memoir claim that he was behind alleged hidden-camera gym photos of Diana, Princess of Wales Piers Morgan has said he will sue Earl Spencer over “fabricated inaccuracies” and “examples of brazen falsity” in his book about the late Diana, Princess of Wales. The earl has made a series of claims in Swan Song: Diana, My Sister – including that King Charles said “we’ll forget her soon enough” after she died, which has prompted a war of words between him and Buckingham Palace. Continue reading...The Guardian · 22 Sept, 12:45
• Swan Song by Charles Spencer review – a furious exercise in score-settling by Diana’s brotherAmid genuinely touching passages about his sister, the earl can’t help but put himself and his grievances centre stage Charles Spencer’s Swan Song, a memoir of his relationship with his sister, the late Diana, Princess of Wales, is a fascinating document that tells us a little about Diana and a great deal about Charles Spencer – perhaps more than we needed to know. If that sounds snarky, after 400 pages of score settling, chest thumping, wild indiscretion and some truly touching passages about his late sister, the reader is left with a head-spinning story of the world that created Diana and…The Guardian · 22 Sept, 12:09
• Charles Spencer’s memoir: King Charles, Princess Diana and more bombshellsPrincess Diana's younger brother's book, "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister" is out today, in which he makes multiple claims about the royal family.New York Post · 22 Sept, 11:30
• Princess Diana made plans to move to Africa to marry her doctor lover and escape ‘petulant’ Charles before her death: brother’s memoir"Might they, she dared hope, move there together, and carve out a life?" Di's brother, Charles Spencer, writes in his new book.New York Post · 22 Sept, 11:00
• Earl Spencer’s explosive Diana book that’s sparked war of words with Palace on sale and already half-pricePrincess Diana’s brother Earl Spencer’s memoir about his sister, which has sparked controversy with a string of allegations against the King, has finally gone on sale todayThe Mirror · 22 Sept, 10:37
• New book by Princess Diana's brother prompts war of words with King Charles IIIA new book by the late Princess Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, has made headlines with damning allegations about King Charles III. Buckingham Palace responded with a strongly-worded statement.NPR · 22 Sept, 09:03
• The top seven bombshell claims from Earl Spencer’s book so farBuckingham Palace said ‘grief can cloud reason’ in the run-up to the publication of Earl Spencer’s highly anticipated memoir about Princess DianaThe Independent · 22 Sept, 06:45
• King 'hissed' brutal five words at Earl Spencer as Diana's brother claims he is being 'gaslit'Diana's brother claims that the King hissed the harsh "We’ll forget her soon enough" statement to him in a heated phone call after his sister's tragic deathThe Mirror · 22 Sept, 05:56
• Royal family latest: Prince Harry ‘in talks to make documentary about Princess Diana’ after Earl Spencer’s memoirPrincess Diana’s brother has insisted he is ‘telling the truth’ about his bombshell allegationsThe Independent · 22 Sept, 05:52
• The top seven bombshell claims from Earl Spencer’s book so farBuckingham Palace said ‘grief can cloud reason’ in the run-up to the publication of Earl Spencer’s highly anticipated memoir about Princess DianaThe Independent · 21 Sept, 18:53
• Princess Diana’s brother awkwardly shuts down questions about Prince Harry’s distance from royal familyCharles Spencer wanted to avoid "too much Harry stuff" while promoting his "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister" memoir, which publishes Tuesday.New York Post · 21 Sept, 18:07
• 'Why did he put it in there?' Princess Diana's friend RICHARD KAY reveals the one exchange from Earl Spencer's explosive memoir that left him totally 'mystified'One anecdote in the book, set as Diana's marriage was falling apart, left Kay 'mystified' and questioning Earll Spencer's intentions.Daily Mail · 21 Sept, 16:41
• Royal family latest: Earl Spencer claims he has ‘nothing to do’ with King anymore day before bombshell memoir hits shelvesPrincess Diana’s brother has insisted he is ‘telling the truth’ about his bombshell allegationsThe Independent · 21 Sept, 16:15
• UK: Fallout over Charles Spencer’s Diana MemoirIn the UK, fallout continues over the explosive memoirs of Princess Diana’s brother. Charles Spencer on Sunday accused King Charles of “gaslighting” him over his account of events surrounding Diana’s death, detailed in a book due to be released on Tuesday. Earl Spencer claims the monarch was “giddily elated” in the immediate aftermath of her death. Carys Garland has the story.France 24 · 21 Sept, 15:41
• Princess Diana's brother Charles Spencer says King Charles 'gaslit' him over memoir claimsCharles Spencer says he was "gaslit" by King Charles III after Buckingham Palace questioned his memory of a shocking post-Diana conversation.Fox News · 21 Sept, 14:24
• RICHARD KAY: I spoke to Earl Spencer straight after Diana's death - what he said then about his row with Charles chimes with his damning memoir. From my many conversations with her, I believe she would have wanted him to write this bookThey last met at London's Tate Gallery on July 1 - Princess Diana's 36th birthday. It was unexpected.Daily Mail · 19 Sept, 17:51

In this story: Charles Spencer · King Charles III · Princess Diana · Buckingham Palace · Piers Morgan

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