The new book by Princess Diana's brother, Earl Charles Spencer, has not yet been released, but it has already become one of the most discussed biographical publications of the year. The reason is several excerpts from the book "Swan Song," which, according to publisher Penguin Random House, correspond to the original text. As reported by [CNN](https://edition.cnn.com/2026/09/18/uk/princess-diana-earl-spencer-book-swan-song-takeaways-intl), Buckingham Palace, which usually does not comment on such publications, made an exception this time. The statement says that the King understands that years of mourning for his sister may affect memories and perceptions of events. However, the palace did not respond in detail to the specific claims made in the book. ## 1. King Charles III's Reaction to Diana's Death The most resonant statement concerns a conversation that, according to Spencer, took place after Diana's death on the night of August 31, 1997. The author claims that the then Prince of Wales seemed to him "extraordinarily upbeat" during the phone call. Spencer suggests that Charles's first reaction could have been thoughts about the possibility of eventually marrying the woman he loved. These conclusions are the author's personal interpretation and are not confirmed by independent sources. ## 2. Dispute Over Diana's Funeral Another episode concerns the discussion of Princes William and Harry's participation in the funeral procession. Spencer claims that during the phone call, King Charles III told him: > "Soon we will forget about her." The author writes that he was so shocked by these words that he immediately ended the conversation. ## 3. Diana Allegedly Wanted to Call Off the Wedding According to Spencer, even before the wedding, the relationship between Diana and the then Prince of Wales seriously deteriorated. He claims that after one family event, Diana told her father that she could not marry a man who did not love her. However, as the author writes, the wedding was not canceled. The book also states that shortly before the ceremony, Diana learned about the gift that Charles had bought for Camilla. ## 4. A Phrase That Allegedly Affected Diana Another claim concerns the early days after the engagement announcement. Spencer writes that Charles allegedly hugged Diana around the waist and said: > "We are a bit plump here, aren’t we?" According to the author, for Diana, who suffered from bulimia, this comment was extremely painful and exacerbated her issues with self-image. ## 5. The Queen's Proposal to Restore the Title After Diana's death, Queen Elizabeth II, according to Spencer, proposed posthumously restoring her HRH title ("Her Royal Highness"), which she lost after the divorce. The author writes that he rejected this idea, as he believed that such a gesture would not change anything for Diana. ## Why the Book Has Caused Such a Stir Princess Diana died in a car accident in Paris on August 31, 1997. Nearly three decades later, interest in the circumstances of her life and her relationships with the British royal family remains extremely high. At the same time, many episodes described in the new book are based on Charles Spencer's personal memories and cannot be independently verified. This is why the publication has sparked not only widespread public interest but also a rare official response from Buckingham Palace. The release of the book is likely to reignite long-standing debates about Princess Diana's life and the events that followed her death.
