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Charles Spencer Accuses King Charles of Gaslighting Over Diana Memoir
Charles Spencer has written a book about his sister, Princess Diana.
The book describes a conversation he says he had with King Charles after Diana died.
Spencer says King Charles told him that people would forget Diana soon.
Buckingham Palace responded to the claim, but it did not directly say that the conversation never happened.
Instead, it said grief can affect how people remember events.
Spencer felt this response was unfair and called it gaslighting.
His book also discusses Diana’s funeral and her sons walking behind her coffin.
The memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, is scheduled for release on 22 September.
Charles Spencer says Buckingham Palace’s response to his memoir claims was condescending and misleading.
Spencer recalls then-Prince Charles saying, “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough,” after Diana’s death.
Buckingham Palace did not directly deny the remark, saying grief can affect memory and judgment.
Spencer says he remembers the conversation clearly and viewed the Palace statement as an attempt to undermine him.
His memoir also discusses Diana’s life, funeral arrangements, and William and Harry walking behind her coffin.
- Who
- Charles Spencer, brother of Princess Diana, and Buckingham Palace responding on behalf of King Charles III.
- What
- Spencer has challenged the Palace’s response to his claim about a remark King Charles allegedly made after Diana’s death.
- Where
- The alleged conversation concerned arrangements after Diana’s death, while her funeral took place at Westminster Abbey in London.
- When
- The dispute followed publication of memoir excerpts ahead of the book’s 22 September release; the alleged conversation occurred after Diana died in August 1997.
- Why
- Spencer says he was upset because he believed the Palace response undermined his clear recollection of the conversation.
Charles Spencer’s Account
Buckingham Palace’s Response
Reliability of the recollection
Charles Spencer’s Account
Spencer says his account is straight and true, that he remembers the conversation clearly, and that the Palace response was condescending and an attempt to undermine him.
Buckingham Palace’s Response
The Palace said the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and color memory, implying that grief may have influenced Spencer’s recollection without directly denying the remark.
Diana’s funeral procession
Charles Spencer’s Account
Spencer says he objected to William and Harry, then aged 15 and 12, walking behind their mother’s coffin because he believed Diana would not have wanted them placed at the center of such a painful public event.
Buckingham Palace’s Response
The article does not report a specific Palace response to Spencer’s objections about the procession.
Key facts
- Memoir
- Swan Song: Diana, My Sister
- Release date
- 22 September
- Central claim
- Spencer says then-Prince Charles told him, “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.”
- Palace response
- Buckingham Palace said fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and color memory.
- Diana’s death
- She died in a Paris car crash in August 1997, aged 36.
- Funeral detail
- Spencer objected to William and Harry walking behind their mother’s coffin.
Quotes
Charles, then Prince of Wales
Diana’s former husband and Britain’s current king, as recalled by Spencer
“Well, it's not every day you're gaslit by a king, but I was really upset with that because I thought it was very, not only condescending, but not straight.”
livemint.com
“the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgement and colour memory”
livemint.com
Sources
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