Archive · 23 Sep 2026
Earl Spencer’s Diana Memoir Discounted Half Price After Release
Earl Spencer wrote a book about his sister, Princess Diana.
The book went on sale in the United Kingdom on September 22.
It originally cost £28 for a hardcover copy.
Within hours, some shops were selling it for £14.
This made people wonder whether the book was not selling well.
A publishing expert said that big books are sometimes discounted to attract more buyers.
A similar discount was used for Prince Harry’s memoir, Spare.
Earl Spencer’s book also describes a difficult conversation with Charles after Diana died.
Spencer says Charles made a remark suggesting that people would soon forget Diana.
Swan Song: Diana, My Sister went on sale across the UK on Tuesday, September 22.
The £28 hardcover was reportedly discounted to £14 within hours at stores and online.
The book’s limited early attention prompted questions about whether it had underperformed.
The Bookseller editor Philip Jones said half-price launch offers are common for anticipated hardbacks.
Earl Spencer’s memoir includes his claim that Charles said, “We’ll forget her soon enough,” after Diana’s death.
- Who
- Earl Spencer wrote a memoir about his sister, Princess Diana; the article also discusses Charles and Prince Harry.
- What
- Swan Song: Diana, My Sister was discounted from £28 to £14 shortly after its UK release.
- When
- The book went on sale on Tuesday, September 22, and was reportedly discounted within hours.
- Where
- Bookshops across the United Kingdom, including Waterstones Piccadilly, and online retailers.
- Why
- Retailers may have used the discount as a strategy to attract buyers to an anticipated bestseller, although the limited early attention raised questions about demand.
Possible Weak Demand
Planned Retail Strategy
Meaning of the discount
Possible Weak Demand
The rapid price reduction and limited early attention could suggest that the book did not receive the expected response.
Planned Retail Strategy
Retailers commonly discount highly anticipated hardbacks at launch to attract buyers and sustain sales.
Interpretation of early sales
Possible Weak Demand
Selling a £28 book for £14 so soon after release may be viewed as evidence of underperformance.
Planned Retail Strategy
The article says a similar approach was used for Prince Harry’s Spare, which later became a major bestseller.
- Book
- Swan Song: Diana, My Sister
- Author
- Earl Spencer
- Original hardcover price
- £28
- Discounted price
- £14
- Release market
- United Kingdom
- Publisher
- Penguin
- Translations
- The book has been translated into 12 languages
- Comparable example
- Prince Harry’s Spare was also sold at half price at release and became the UK’s fastest-selling non-fiction book, according to the article