Charles 'Earl' Spencer has published a book containing disputed claims about a post-funeral exchange with his former brother-in-law, now King Charles. Buckingham Palace has denied the most contentious quote, saying grief can distort memory. Spencer — a former NBC correspondent and the brother who delivered Diana's famous 1997 eulogy — comes from the long-established Spencer family of Althorp. The revelations have reignited debate about loyalty, royal tradition and the relationships around Princes William and Harry.
Earl Spencer: Diana’s Brother, His New Book and the Royal Fallout
Earl Spencer, whose soon-to-be-published book about the late Princess Diana has already caused a headache for the British royals, pictured at Althorp House in Northamptonshire in 2024. - Jordan Pettitt/PA/AP
Charles Edward Maurice Spencer, widely known as Earl Spencer, has found himself back in the headlines after excerpts from his forthcoming book revived long-buried tensions within the royal family. The most explosive passage recounts a heated phone exchange in the days after Princess Diana’s death, in which Spencer says his former brother-in-law — now King Charles — launched into a 'stream of anger' and allegedly told him 'we'll forget her soon enough.' Buckingham Palace has strongly denied that account.
The Claims and the Response
Excerpts published by the Daily Mail sparked a swift public rebuttal from Buckingham Palace, which cautioned that "the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and color memory in ways others do not recognize." The palace denied the alleged remark attributed to the King. The dispute has prompted renewed debate about memory, grief and the motivations behind revisiting traumatic events decades later.
Family photo of a young Charles Spencer alongside his sister, Diana, in 1968. - PA Images/Getty Images
Who Is Earl Spencer?
Born in London on 20 May 1964, Spencer comes from an aristocratic family long tied to the modern royal circle; the late Queen Elizabeth II was his godmother. The Spencer family has owned the Althorp estate in West Northamptonshire since 1508, and Diana is buried on a small private island on those grounds.
Educated at Eton and at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he read modern history, Spencer later worked as a journalist and spent a decade with NBC News beginning in 1986. He has published several books, including family histories and studies of royal figures, and is father to seven children from his first three marriages.
Earl Spencer pays tribute to his sister during her funeral service at Westminster Abbey, London. - Reuters
Sibling Bond and Public Grief
Spencer and Diana were close as children and remained deeply connected throughout her life. At her 1997 funeral he delivered a powerful eulogy that castigated the press and celebrated Diana’s compassion. He called her the "very essence of compassion, of duty, of style, of beauty," and described her as 'the most hunted person of the modern age.' That speech remains one of the most memorable moments of the funeral.
"She mothered me as a baby, fought with me at school and endured those long train journeys between our parents' homes with me at weekends."
Earlier Strains And Recent Fallout
Public records revealed during a 2002 trial over the theft of Diana's possessions also showed tensions between the siblings — including disputes over accommodations on the Althorp estate after Diana's separation from Prince Charles. The new book's allegations, however, are the most direct public clash in years between the Spencer family and the current monarch.
Undated photo showing Charles Spencer, Princess Diana and then-Prince Charles, alongside others, at a birthday party. - Keith Butcher/Shutterstock
What This Means For The Royal Family
Observers note the timing is sensitive: the resurfaced claims arrive as Princes William and Harry continue to navigate a fraught relationship, and the Sussexes maintain close ties with the Spencer family. While some commentators ask whether reopening these episodes is necessary, supporters of Spencer argue his account reflects family loyalty and his long-standing role as Diana’s protector.
Bottom line: The controversy underscores how memories of Diana’s death and her legacy remain intensely emotional and politically charged — and how private grief can have public consequences even decades later.
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