British Royal Family Faces Controversy Over New Book About Princess Diana

King Charles III sought to keep attention focused on an artificial intelligence summit. However, a new royal scandal dominated headlines before Thursday’s meeting. The controversy stems from excerpts of an upcoming book about Princess Diana.

What does Charles Spencer’s book claim?

According to an excerpt published by the Daily Mail, Spencer asserts that Charles told him, days after Diana’s death: «We will soon forget her.» According to Spencer, this occurred during a tense phone call.

According to Spencer’s account, Charles reacted angrily following a disagreement over Diana’s funeral. Another excerpt, published Thursday, suggests that Charles sounded euphoric that same evening.

CNN clarified that it has not had access to the complete book before its publication. The book, titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, will go on sale next month.

How did Buckingham Palace respond?

The Palace issued a statement on Wednesday considered unusual within the institution. Rather than directly denying the facts, it questioned Spencer’s personal judgment.

A Palace spokesperson stated that «grief over the loss of a sibling can cloud reason.» According to the statement, this could affect judgment and alter memories over time.

When asked again on Thursday about new book excerpts, the Palace indicated it had no additional comments. Therefore, it maintained the same position as its first statement.

What historical context surrounds this death?

Princess Diana died in August 1997, following a car accident in Paris. She was 36 years old at the time of her death.

Her sons, William and Harry, were 15 and 12 years old respectively. Both walked in the funeral procession alongside Charles, from whom Diana was divorced.

Diana was known as the «People’s Princess» and was greatly beloved internationally. The royal family’s initial response to her death was criticized for being insular. This sparked a constitutional crisis and strong public backlash at the time.

Was there a similar episode in the past?

For some observers, the Palace’s current response recalls another moment of family tension. In 2021, then Queen Elizabeth II responded to accusations from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.

In a royal statement that year, the Queen declared: «Recollections may vary.» That phrase became a symbol of the royal family’s internal tensions.

What other details does the book reveal about Diana and Charles?

According to Spencer, Diana allegedly found a bracelet that Charles had purchased for Camilla before their wedding. For this reason, according to the account, she attempted to break off the engagement.

Additionally, the book claims that Charles made a disparaging comment about Diana’s weight shortly after the engagement. According to Spencer, she found it deeply painful, as she suffered from an eating disorder.

However, many of these anecdotes had already been recounted by other biographers previously. Therefore, these are not entirely new revelations for those who follow the royal family.

What other problems does the royal family face this year?

This year began turbulently for the British monarchy. Charles’s brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, was arrested on his 66th birthday.

The investigation relates to alleged misconduct during his tenure as a commercial envoy. Andrew resigned from that position in 2011 following criticism over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. He has categorically denied any irregularities in that relationship.

Additionally, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle recently returned to the United Kingdom. That return, along with Spencer’s book, generated new challenges for the family.

What royal activities occurred on Thursday?

Despite the controversy, senior family members maintained a demanding schedule. Harry made his first public appearance since his return to the country.

He attended the inaugural ceremony of the Invictus Spirit Awards in London. Although Harry and Meghan are no longer active members of the royal