Nearly three decades after Princess Diana's death in a Paris car crash, her brother Earl Spencer has written a memoir alleging that the man who would become King sounded strangely jubilant upon learning of her passing — a claim that reopens one of the most scrutinized chapters in modern royal history. Buckingham Palace has responded not with outright denial but with a quiet suggestion that grief distorts memory, a reply that is itself a kind of answer. The episode reminds us that the stories powerful families tell about their most painful moments are never fully settled, and that the dead rema
Earl Spencer claims King Charles sounded 'giddily elated' after Diana's death
Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997, leaving two young sons, Princes William and Harry, without their mother.
Unlike other callers, he sounded giddily elated—like a lottery winner
Mark
So Earl Spencer is saying Charles sounded happy when he called after Diana died. That's a serious allegation. How credible is this account?
Mimi
It's his memory of a phone call from nearly thirty years ago. He was in South Africa, just learned his sister had died in a car crash. He's recounting what he heard in Charles's voice during that conversation.
Luke
Right, but that's the thing—it's one person's interpretation of a tone of voice from 1997. We don't have a recording. We don't have anyone else on that call. It's Spencer's recollection, filtered through three decades of time and grief.
Mimi
True. But he's specific about it. He says Charles sounded like a lottery winner, unlike everyone else who called, who were stunned. That's a deliberate contrast he's drawing.
Mark
And the Palace response—what are they actually saying?
Mimi
They're not denying it directly. They're saying grief can cloud memory and judgment. It's a soft pushback, really. They're not calling him a liar.
Luke
Which is interesting because Dickie Arbiter, the former press secretary, does call it hogwash. He says Charles was devastated. But Arbiter wasn't on the call either. He's offering his own interpretation of Charles's character.
Mark
So we have Spencer's memory against Arbiter's character assessment. Neither is definitive.
Mimi
Exactly. And the book has other claims too—about what Charles said before the wedding, about Diana's mental health. It's a whole portrait Spencer is painting.
Luke
Which means readers need to know they're getting one person's interpretation of private conversations and private moments. The Palace knows that. That's why they're not engaging directly.
Mark
What happens when the book comes out?
Mimi
It gets serialized, it gets discussed, and people form their own views. The Palace seems content to let it exist without further comment.
Luke
Which might be the smartest move. Any direct rebuttal just keeps the story alive longer.
The Pulse
- Earl Spencer's forthcoming memoir drops a charged allegation at the heart of the monarchy: that Charles sounded 'giddily elated — like a lottery winner' when he called after Diana's death in 1997.
- Buckingham Palace's response was carefully calibrated — neither a flat denial nor an admission — suggesting instead that fraternal grief can distort memory across decades.
- Former royal press secretary Dickie Arbiter was less diplomatic, calling Spencer's account 'hogwash' and insisting Charles was 'devastated,' directly challenging the memoir's credibility.
- The book carries additional incendiary claims: that Charles confessed on the eve of his 1981 wedding that he was not in love with Diana, and that Diana contemplated suicide more than once.
- The memoir's serialization arrives as the royal family is visibly active — Charles warning AI executives of existential dangers, William and Kate on a beach cleanup, and Harry making his first UK public appearance since returning — amplifying the contrast between institutional momentum and unresolved personal history.
Nearly three decades after Princess Diana's death in a Paris car crash, her brother Earl Spencer has written a memoir alleging that the man who would become King sounded strangely jubilant upon learning of her passing — a claim that reopens one of the most scrutinized chapters in modern royal history. Buckingham Palace has responded not with outright denial but with a quiet suggestion that grief distorts memory, a reply that is itself a kind of answer. The episode reminds us that the stories powerful families tell about their most painful moments are never fully settled, and that the dead remain subjects of contested meaning long after they are gone.
Earl Spencer, Princess Diana's brother, has alleged in a forthcoming memoir that King Charles sounded strikingly upbeat — 'giddily elated, like a lottery winner' — when he telephoned Spencer in the early hours after Diana's death in Paris on August 31, 1997. Spencer was at his home in Cape Town when the news arrived through a series of overnight calls, and he recalls Charles's tone as sharply at odds with every other caller, who were stunned and struggling to speak.
Buckingham Palace responded with measured skepticism rather than direct denial, suggesting that 'the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory' over the nearly thirty years since the loss. Dickie Arbiter, who served as press secretary at the time of Diana's death and funeral, was more blunt, telling BBC Newsnight the claim was 'hogwash' and 'not in his character,' insisting Charles had been 'devastated.'
The memoir, titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, contains further contentious material. Spencer writes that a friend of Diana's told him Charles had confided, on the eve of their 1981 wedding, that he was 'very happy to marry her, but not actually in love with her.' Spencer also offers a psychological portrait of his sister in her later years, suggesting she likely had ADHD and suffered from Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria — an intense emotional pain triggered by others' criticism or rejection. He writes that Diana considered ending her life on more than one occasion, held back by her love for Princes William and Harry.
The book's release lands during a conspicuously busy stretch for the royal family. King Charles was in Ayrshire warning AI executives from companies including Nvidia and OpenAI about the existential risks of their technology. Prince William and the Princess of Wales participated in a beach cleanup on the Isle of Bute. Prince Harry made his first public appearance since returning to the UK at the Invictus Spirit Awards in Greenwich, without Meghan. Representatives for Harry declined to comment on the memoir.
Whether Spencer's account will be received as an intimate witness's truth or as a reopening of wounds better left closed remains an open question. The palace's restrained response suggests the institution has chosen to let the claims recede without further engagement — though the book's serialization ensures they will not recede quickly.
Earl Spencer, the late Princess Diana's brother, has alleged in a forthcoming memoir that King Charles sounded unusually upbeat when he telephoned after Diana's death in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997. In excerpts published by the Daily Mail, Spencer recounts receiving the initial news via a middle-of-the-night call from his sister Jane while he was at his home in Cape Town, South Africa. As confirmation of Diana's death came through subsequent calls, the then-Prince Charles rang him. Spencer writes that unlike other callers who were stunned and struggling to speak, Charles "sounded giddily elated—like a lottery winner, I remember thinking at the time."
The claim has triggered a sharp response from Buckingham Palace. A spokesperson said on Wednesday that while the institution does not typically comment on books, the King is aware that "the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss." The statement stops short of a direct denial but casts doubt on Spencer's recollection of events nearly three decades old. Dickie Arbiter, who served as press secretary to Queen Elizabeth II at the time of Diana's death and funeral, was more forceful in his rejection. He told BBC Newsnight that Charles was "devastated at the time" and that the allegation is "not in his character," calling Spencer's account "hogwash."
Spencer's memoir, titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, is scheduled for publication next week and will be serialized in media outlets. The book contains other contentious claims about the royal family. Spencer writes that a friend of Diana's told him that on the eve of their 1981 wedding, Charles had confided he was "very happy to marry her, but… not actually in love with her." Spencer also describes the marriage as becoming "very difficult indeed" early on, with both spouses at times despairing of the other. The couple divorced in August 1996, a year before Diana's death.
In the memoir, Spencer offers a psychological portrait of his sister in her later years. He now believes Diana had attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and suffered from Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, which he describes as an "intense emotional pain in the face of others' rejection or criticism." He writes that Diana considered taking her own life on more than one occasion but that her love for her sons, Princes William and Harry, prevented her from doing so.
The allegations have surfaced as the royal family navigates a period of public activity. Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, made his first public appearance since relocating to the UK at the inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards in Greenwich on Thursday evening, where he posed for photographs and delivered remarks about the event's winners and nominees. His wife, Meghan, did not attend. Meanwhile, King Charles hosted a summit on artificial intelligence in Ayrshire, where he warned executives from companies including Nvidia, OpenAI, and Anthropic about the "existential dangers" of the technology falling into the wrong hands. Prince William and the Princess of Wales participated in a beach cleanup on Scotland's Isle of Bute.
The timing of Spencer's book release and its serialization will likely intensify public discussion about the royal family's response to Diana's death and the circumstances surrounding it. Representatives of Prince Harry have declined to comment on the memoir. What remains unclear is how the public will receive Spencer's account—whether readers will view it as a fresh perspective from someone close to Diana or regard it as an inappropriate airing of private family disputes from decades past. The palace's measured response suggests the institution intends to let the claims stand without further engagement, even as the book's publication promises to keep the matter in public view.
Notable Quotes
The pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss.— Buckingham Palace spokesperson
Charles was devastated at the time. It's not in his character. There's no way he could have ever said anything like that.— Dickie Arbiter, former press secretary to Queen Elizabeth II
Want the full story?
Read the original at BBC News ↗
Culture & Arts