Earl Spencer has revealed how Prince William really feels about his book on his late sister, Princess Diana. Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, published this month, has sparked a barrage of headlines over some of the bombshell claims it contains. Some of these concern King Charles, who was married to Diana from 1981 to 1996, before her death in 1997.
Palace response and royal silence
One of the biggest bombshells was the Earl's claim that Charles said: "Rest assured, we'll forget her soon enough," following the mother-of-two's death. He also accused the King of sounding "giddily elated" during a phone call after his sister died, though later acknowledged that he could not know for certain what Charles was thinking at the time.
Responding to the claims, Buckingham Palace said in a statement: "While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty is mindful 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."
So far, Prince William has stayed silent about the book and the claims made inside it. However, according to the Earl, William and Harry are both "okay" with its release.
Earl on his nephews' reactions
Asked about his nephews' reactions to the book in a conversation with People magazine, he said: "In respect of their privacy, I won’t sort of say what was said, but it was okay, you know? I mean, I think they’re probably used to me to sort of doing my own thing, and I made it absolutely clear to them, I haven’t compromised either of your privacy at all."
He has also said he didn't ask his nephews for approval, though admits Harry in particular had concerns about the book. Speaking to Gayle King on CBS, he said: "Harry was sort of like, 'Is there anything in there that would be embarrassing to me?' I said, 'Absolutely not.' You know, I'm very specific about people's privacy."
The author has also said he didn't tell any of his family, except his wife, about the book until just before it was released publicly. "I didn't want anyone to think, particularly with Harry, who people know I had to stay in the summer, that he was in any way involved in this," he said on CBS Mornings. "It was important to me that they weren't."
Book's purpose and aftermath
He went on to confirm that he has spoken to Harry and William since its release. The Earl has said his book isn't about "settling scores", but rather a celebration of his sister's life. "I could have written something much more devastating," he said on CBC Radio's The Current. "This was the considered version that I thought, 'Yeah, whatever's in here, needs to be in, to give the full story of Diana's life'."
In response to the Palace's statement, he also said on CBS: "They have to sort of pretend there’s something wrong with my mind or my memory. There’s nothing wrong with either."
