Earl Spencer has made a new claim about the late Queen's reaction to the news of Princess Diana's car crash in Paris, according to extracts from his forthcoming book serialised this week.
The Princess of Wales died in August 1997 following a crash in France. Her brother, Charles Spencer, claims Elizabeth II asked "tetchily" "what's she been up to now?" upon hearing the initial news.
New Book Details Royal Reactions
In the book, titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, Spencer writes: "When the Queen had heard the first news of Diana's being in a traffic accident, she had asked tetchily, 'What is she up to now?' This, before the seriousness of it all became clear."
The latest extract, serialised by the Daily Mail, also claims the Queen wanted Diana's coffin placed in the royal burial ground at Frogmore, near Windsor Castle.
Burial and Title Dispute
Spencer writes: "But my family was determined that Diana must come home to Althorp. We knew she would have wanted to do so. Besides, having had her HRH title removed as part of the package of humiliation handed to her at her divorce, almost a year to the day before her death, Diana was no longer eligible for royal Frogmore."
He also alleges the Queen offered Diana her HRH title back after her death. Spencer recounts a conversation with Robert Fellowes during a carriage journey.
"I have just received a call from Her Majesty," Fellowes said, "and she would like to offer Diana her HRH title back."
Spencer describes trying to digest the significance and thinking about what Diana would have wanted, noting she had been "dreadfully hurt" by the removal of the title. He concluded: "That's very kind of the Queen, of course. But what's the point, Robert? Now? I mean – Diana's dead."
