Buckingham Palace has challenged a claim made by Earl Charles Spencer, the younger brother of the late Princess Diana.
The claim appears in Spencer’s upcoming book, Swan Song: My Sister. An exception was published by the Daily Mail before the book’s release.
In the book, Spencer recalls a disagreement with the then-Prince Charles shortly after Diana’s death. They reportedly argued over whether the young Prince William and Prince Harry should walk behind their mother’s coffin during her funeral.
Spencer says he opposed the idea and believed Diana would not have wanted her sons to take part. According to his account, Charles strongly disagreed and allegedly replied, “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.”
Spencer presents the reported comment as evidence that Charles had little respect for his former wife.
Buckingham Palace has now questioned his version of the conversation. A spokesperson said the Palace normally does not comment on claims made in books. However, the spokesperson suggests that grievance and conflict between family members can affect a person’s judgment and memories, even many years later.
The response is unusual because the Palace rarely addresses allegations published in books.
