Earl Charles Spencer was reduced to tears during an emotional interview with BBC presenter Laura Kuenssberg, held at the Althorp Estate. The conversation centred on the bombshell claims in his new memoir, including allegations that King Charles said Princess Diana "would soon be forgotten" – a statement Buckingham Palace has denied.
Emotional memories of childhood
Spencer choked up and needed a moment to compose himself when Kuenssberg asked about his childhood memories of Diana. He said: "My memories of Diana tend to be from our happy childhood days, in our home before this, which was Park House in Sandringham, in Norfolk. Even though we had the rupture of my parents’ divorce, it was such a happy home. Just those days there, carefree days… not an instance, but a period of life."
Spencer admitted: "It really breaks me up when I look at old photographs of Diana as a child, and then think what happened to her, it’s terribly sad." When asked how much he misses her, he replied: "Every day. That’s the thing with sibling loss, you never get over it." His eyes were red and filled with tears as Kuenssberg paused, but he added nothing further.
Clash over Palace denial
Elsewhere in the interview, Kuenssberg asked whether the public should believe Spencer or King Charles. Spencer said he is "telling the truth". Kuenssberg read the Palace statement: "His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgement and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss." She noted the King is "plainly furious" and that Buckingham Palace almost never issues such statements.
Spencer responded: "Well, is he furious, or is he embarrassed? Because I can tell you here and now, those are exactly the words he said. I’ve only ever had two calls on the line with Prince Charles at any stage of my life. I was hyper-alert to what he was saying, and those are precisely the words that he said. I promise that to you now. Genuinely, that is what he said. I don’t hear him saying he didn’t say that."
