King Charles rejects brother-in-law's claim he said 'forget Diana soon'

Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer, claims in his upcoming memoir "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister" that King Charles told him days after Princess Diana's 1997 death: "Rest assured, we'll forget her soon enough." The allegation appears in excerpts published by the Daily Mail on September 16.

The dispute reportedly began when Spencer opposed Princes William and Harry, then aged 15 and 12, walking behind their mother's coffin at the funeral. Spencer says Charles insisted they participate, citing his own walk at Lord Mountbatten's funeral at age 30, then erupted in anger when Spencer noted the age difference.

“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.”

Buckingham Palace broke its usual silence on books with a direct statement attributed to the King. A spokesperson said 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 Palace rarely responds to publications; it issued no on-record comment on Prince Harry's 2023 memoir "Spare." Royal observers say the speed and bluntness of this rebuttal signals serious concern about the book's impact on Charles's reputation.

Spencer's book, serialised by the Daily Mail ahead of its September 22 release, is described as highly critical of the royal family. The Earl has said he wants to "speak for Diana" and tell "the truth about Diana" from his perspective.

Diana died at 36 in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997, alongside partner Dodi Fayed. Her funeral drew global attention, with William and Harry ultimately walking in the procession alongside their uncle Spencer.