Charles Spencer is preparing to release a new book about his late sister, Princess Diana, offering his account of her life ahead of the 30th anniversary of her death.
Titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, the book is scheduled to be published in Britain next month before being released internationally. Publisher Michael Joseph, part of Penguin Random House, said it will tell Diana’s story from her brother’s perspective.
Spencer, also known as Earl Spencer, said repeated requests to discuss Diana prompted him to put his memories in writing.
“With the 30th anniversary of Diana’s tragic death on the skyline, I’ve been inundated yet again with requests for interviews about my sister,” he said in a statement.
Spencer explained that he wanted to record his own recollections rather than continuing seeing accounts he believes contain inaccuracies that have gradually become accepted as fact.
“The aim of this book is to tell the truth about Diana from her brother’s perspective, just as I attempted to do when speaking at her funeral,” he said. “As with my eulogy, I want to speak on Diana’s behalf and do so in an openly positive way.”
Diana married the then Prince Charles in 1981 and quickly became one of the world’s most photographed women. Their marriage later broke down, and the couple divorced in 1996.
She died at the age of 36 in August 1997 after a car carrying her and Dodi al-Fayed crashed in the Pont de l'Alma tunnel in Paris while being pursued by photographers.
At Diana’s funeral, Spencer delivered a memorable eulogy in which he openly criticized the royal family and pledged to protect her legacy.
Daniel Bunyard, publishing director at Penguin Random House, described Spencer’s forthcoming memoir as a “book of historical importance.”
