Charles Spencer’s Memoir Raises Questions Over Alleged Conversation With Then-Prince Charles After Diana’s Death

The Post: Charles Spencer’s Memoir Raises Questions Over Alleged Conversation With Then-Prince Charles After Diana’s Death  first appeared on Crafting Your Home.

A new memoir has brought fresh attention to a decades-old moment involving Princess Diana’s death, but the central claim remains an allegation based on one person’s recollection.
Charles Spencer, Diana’s brother, says in his forthcoming memoir Swan Song: Diana, My Sister that he had a phone argument with the then-Prince Charles after Diana died in 1997.

In Spencer’s account, the discussion involved whether Princes William and Harry should walk in Diana’s funeral procession.
Spencer writes that Charles said, “Rest assured … we’ll forget her soon enough!” The wording has drawn attention because of Diana’s public legacy, but the conversation itself has not been independently verified.

The claim comes from Spencer’s memoir. Reporting on the book has noted that no publicly reported recording, transcript, contemporaneous document, or independent eyewitness confirmation exists for the alleged phone-call wording.

For everyday readers following the story, the key distinction is between what has been confirmed about the publication and what remains a disputed memory of a private conversation.
Penguin Random House confirmed to CNN that the quoted passages from the memoir appear accurately in the book. That confirms the words are included in Spencer’s writing, but it does not independently confirm that the conversation happened exactly as described.

Buckingham Palace responded with a statement saying grief can “cloud reason, affect judgment and color memory.” The response addressed concerns about memory and recollection but did not provide a detailed alternative account of the alleged conversation.

The discussion has renewed interest in the events surrounding Diana’s death and funeral. Diana died after injuries sustained in a high-speed Paris crash in August 1997. A few days later, William and Harry joined the funeral procession.

Spencer’s memoir focuses on his own recollections of that period. His account includes his description of the reported phone call and his interpretation of the emotions involved. Those personal interpretations remain his own account rather than independent facts.

Reporting around the memoir has also highlighted the importance of separating the publication of a claim from proof of the event it describes. In this case, Spencer’s memoir and the quoted passage have been confirmed, while the alleged words spoken during the 1997 phone call remain unverified.

The memoir is being published as a first-person reflection on Spencer’s memories of Diana and the events surrounding her life and death. The book provides his perspective, while responses from Buckingham Palace and coverage from other outlets have focused attention on questions about memory, historical accounts, and how private moments are remembered decades later.

For readers, the story reminds us that accounts of major historical events can reflect different perspectives. Personal recollections can provide insight into how people experienced important moments, while independent records and additional evidence are needed to confirm disputed details.

As interest grows in Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, readers can look for the full context of Spencer’s account and the responses to it. The clearest facts remain that Spencer wrote the memoir, that it contains the reported passage, and that Buckingham Palace responded by raising questions about how grief can affect memory and judgment.

The broader conversation is likely to continue as people examine the different accounts connected to Diana’s life, her death, and the public events that followed. For now, the alleged phone conversation remains a claim from Spencer’s memoir rather than a confirmed historical record.