With the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana's death approaching, her brother, Earl Spencer, has announced that he will be releasing a tell-all memoir to address 'untruths' about the late princess.
On Tuesday, it was announced that the biography, titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, will contain 'revelations that will draw considerable attention' about Diana's life and the aftermath of her death in 1997. The book, described as 'extraordinarily moving' and 'remarkably candid,' will be the first time Diana's younger brother has spoken at length about his sister's life.
Royal Expert's View on the Memoir
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond believes the book will serve as an important historical commentary. Jennie told the Mirror: 'It will be a fascinating book, and one which, as the Earl says, will put to bed some of the many misunderstandings surrounding Diana's life and death. And that makes it an important book.'
Jennie added: 'There will be multiple documentaries and acres of newsprint about Diana as the 30th anniversary of her death approaches. Some of us can claim to have known her a little, many a film has been made about her, and The Crown distorted the reality of her life for millions of viewers.'
She continued: 'But her brother, Charles, knows the truth. He's a journalist himself and an author. He is brilliantly placed to tell us exactly what his sister was really like, and what happened during her troubled marriage and untimely death.'
Potential Impact on the Royal Family
Jennie Bond suggested the Royal Family may feel anxious about the book, particularly regarding the Earl's recollection of the days after Diana's death on August 31 1997. 'It will be particularly interesting to hear his take on what happened during the dramatic few days after her death, when the Palace seemed to lose control of the narrative,' Jennie said. 'Some of it may prove difficult reading for the Royal Family, but it will be fascinating to hear his side of the story.'
PR expert Olivia Bennett from public relations agency Go Up echoed these comments, claiming the book will naturally lead people to wonder about revelations concerning the Royal Family. Olivia said: 'Of course, the minute somebody says they want to correct 'untruths' about Diana, people are going to start wondering exactly what those untruths are and whether any of them involve the Royal Family.'
Olivia added: 'I do think people will naturally wonder how much King Charles and Queen Camilla feature. Diana's marriage was such a huge part of her public story that it would be difficult not to ask that question. But even if they do feature quite heavily, I'm not convinced it would have the same reputational impact today that Diana speaking about their relationship had in the 1990s.'
Earl Spencer's Statement on the Book
Announcing the book on Tuesday, Earl Spencer said: 'With the 30th anniversary of Diana's tragic death on the skyline, I've been inundated yet again with requests for interviews about my sister.'
He continued: 'This has convinced me to write down my own thoughts and memories, once and for all, rather than having the discomfort of again reading the opinions of others, many of which are based on untruths that have become accepted over time.'
'The aim of this book is to tell the truth about Diana from her brother's perspective, just as I attempted to do when speaking at her funeral. As with my eulogy, I want to speak on Diana's behalf and do so in an openly positive way.'
