Wednesday evening’s British newscasts and talk shows were full of commentary about the Earl Spencer’s extraordinary revelation about King Charles. Charles Spencer writes in Swan Song, his memoir of his sister Princess Diana, that days after Diana’s 1997 death, he and then-Prince Charles got into a heated argument over whether Prince Harry and Prince William would walk behind their mother’s casket at the funeral. Charles Spencer writes: “Prince Charles continued his stream of anger, without me interrupting. Then he stopped. I assumed the pause signaled an effort to bring himself under control, but then he unleashed down the phone what I have always taken to be his pent-up contempt for Diana, and his horror that the world was so bowled over by her death. ‘Rest assured,’ he hissed, ‘we’ll forget her soon enough!’”
That passage – the first released through Charles Spencer’s serialization with the Daily Mail – caused immediate impact and global headlines. Buckingham Palace rushed out an ill-conceived statement, gaslighting Diana’s brother: “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 color memory in ways others do not recognize, even many years after such a loss.” Former BBC royal reporter Peter Hunt called out this statement for what it is, in no uncertain terms: “He’s clearly absolutely incandescent… there are times when silence is the right answer. He has boosted the sale of this book, and there are times when you don’t dignify [that]…. The content of [the palace’s statement] is royal gaslighting…”
“The content of it is royal gaslighting.”
“Lord Spencer could've also not press send or publish.”
Peter Hunt, the BBC's former Royal Correspondent, and Lord Finkelstein, Conservative Peer, react to Buckingham Palace's response to claims in Earl Spencer's new book that, days… pic.twitter.com/uubAeARwbK
— BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) September 16, 2026
Royal commentator Dick Fitzwilliams also spoke about the palace’s “extraordinary statement” and saying “There is no question that the King is absolutely furious.” LMAO. Imagine being a literal king and being so consumed with incandescent fury over someone simply talking about your asinine and offensive behavior.
‘It is an extraordinary statement, there is no question that the King is absolutely furious.’
Royal commentator Richard Fitzwilliams analyses the Palace’s response to Lord Spencer’s claims regarding the King’s comments upon Princess Diana's death. pic.twitter.com/y1H7rGne8D
— GB News (@GBNEWS) September 16, 2026
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- King Charles III leaves Westminster Abbey after his Coronation, London, United Kingdom, on 06 May 2023.,Image: 774228682, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: -, Model Release: no, Credit line: Dan Charity / Avalon
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- Protesters in Trafalgar Square ahead of the coronation ceremony of King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey, London. Picture date: Saturday May 6, 2023. Featuring: Protesters Where: London, United Kingdom When: 06 May 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Anti-monarchy protesters demonstrate in London ahead of the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Saturday. Picture date: Saturday May 6, 2023. Featuring: Protesters Where: London, United Kingdom When: 05 May 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Anti-monarchy protesters demonstrate in London ahead of the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Saturday. Picture date: Saturday May 6, 2023. Featuring: Protesters Where: London, United Kingdom When: 06 May 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- King Charles III wearing the St Edward’s Crown and Queen Camilla wearing the Queen Mary’s Crown during their coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey, London. Featuring: Queen Camilla and King Charles III Where: London, United Kingdom When: 06 May 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- Prince Edward, The Prince of Wales kisses his father King Charles III during his coronation ceremony in Westminster Abbey, London. Featuring: Prince Edward and King Charles III Where: London, United Kingdom When: 06 May 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- King Charles III during his coronation at Westminster Abbey, London. Featuring: King Charles III Where: London, United Kingdom When: 06 May 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- King Charles III and Queen Camilla on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, London, following the coronation. Picture date: Saturday May 6, 2023. Featuring: King Charles III, Queen Camilla Where: London, United Kingdom When: 06 May 2023 Credit: PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- The British Royal family make an appearence on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Coronation Featuring: King Charles III, Queen Camilla Where: London, United Kingdom When: 06 May 2023 Credit: Dutch Press Photo/Cover Images **NOT AVAILABLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THE NETHERLANDS OR FRANCE**
The chickens are coming home to roost. LOL, Charles gets what he deserves.
It’s notable that Charles has really not had a moment of peace in his reign. From Harry to Andrew to anti monarchy protests at every turn to this … he hasn’t ever been able to bask in the unmitigated adoration of his people. Diana’s ghost ain’t even subtle.
He was never going to get adoration anyway. He’s an ugly and spoiled old man we all know far too much about.
Good – no peace is deserved. He will be remembered throughout history as the Tampon King who carts his own toilet seat around and can’t handle a flipping pen.
Good. May it send him to his grave post-haste. Poor Diana only had 36 years.
From your lips to Fate’s ears.
If he had not treated diana so badly he’d have nothing to worry about.
Bit like Harry, if he and Meghan had been treated better they might still be working hard for the crown.
I mean, sometimes the news from Great Britain is just a giant Monty Python skit. All those asses making serious po-faced comments about The Royal Ass is just comedy gold. I wouldn’t want to be a fountain pen right now.
Or a wall mounted sink.
Another version of “recollections differ?”
And, like with Meghan, the most important thing I will point out is that AT NO POINT does the palace deny what the earl said. They just said “grief can cloud memories in ways others don’t recognize.” So if it ever comes out that he had, for example, recorded the conversation, the palace can say we didn’t deny it, it’s just that Chucky remebered it differently.
Here’s the problem with recollections differ, we all saw it happen. You can’t gaslight the entire English speaking world.
That kind of comment would be remembered clearly for its cruelty.
That’s the thing, isn’t it? When the palace says that they don’t usually comment on these things “as a matter of principle” I immediately thought Really? I remember you distinctly trying to belittle Harry and Meghan with the whole “recollections may vary” crap. And then getting the rota to praise them for this “clever” line. In both cases, they never disputed any of the facts. So, given how things have turned out, maybe this is just the palace’s tell, y’know?
“There is no question that the King is absolutely furious.”
We have a saying in Australia: stiff sh*t.
American here. This mess made it on to CNN. You know it’s bad.
CNN will report anything to avoid reporting honestly about our own mess. The Brits have been stuck with the Windsors for a hundred years. We voted for our mess.
Ouch!
Not all of us voted for our mess. I didn’t. I for one am happy for CNN to dish on this particular gossip from the Salty Isles.
@Maisie’sMom: I should have said most white people voted for this mess. My bad.
“Voted”
I can safely say I am NOT in any way, shape or form responsible for Mango Mussolini.
It often seems like half the commentary in British media is about some Windsor male being furious and incandescent with rage over something or other. Imagine being royal, even king, and the world is so horrible as far as you’re concerned that you have to pitch a fit every other day. It must suck being royal.
Absolute clown show. unseemly, shambolic and lacking any clear leadership. never complain what? This hideous, criminal family are getting hit after hit of consequence and I love it.
Jane, absolutely!
“Recollections may vary”, Charles edition.
I wonder which “royal reporter” is going to come out with a book for Charles and Camilla’s side?
Well, it would be hard to make “Gladys and Fred” look like anything other than the audulterous trailer trash Tampons they are, no matter how hard they gaslit their words.
Peter Hunt is so funny. Making sure to use the word incandescent. Indeed. A clear line between the king and his heir. But yes whatever happened to ever explain. It almost like that was never a real thing in the first place.
If onlly the combined incandescence of Charles and William could solve our energy crisis.
It surely would if someone could figure out how to plug into it.
What these comments from Chuck have done is reinforce the belief that he was behind what happened to Princess Diana, but he was blindsided by the public reaction and devoted grief of those that admired her.. the only one that did not grieve Princess Diana’s death were Chuck and his mistress and some others in the firm..
He made her sit without a seatbelt in a car driven by a drunk guy?
Lots of palace apologists out today, I see.
Meredith, there are so many possibilities that will be explored once again. Was the driver drugged? Was the car forced off the road in a calculated hit? BP can’t spin this and the world will not forget what Charles and Camilla did to Diana.
They’ve been camping out for weeks @M. Just look at the all the comments painting Harry and Meghan in a particular light. To be clear, there’s real criticism to be had but you can spot the difference. Bc man some of the comments over the last weeks have been taking real delight in stirring up a feeling that if anything happens to Harry and his family, it will be due to their stupid choices. As opposed to you know the system that has created the danger.
The only survivor has amnesia, There are no other witnesses to observe the seatbelt situation. Diana would have buckled up if the seatbelts worked. Diana would not have gotten in a car with a visibly “drunk” man. I wonder why the paparazzi were allowed to gather in front of the Ritz waiting. Where were the police. Also, the paparazzi rushed to take pictures of the injured Diana interfering with Medical Help getting to her. Diana should have been taken to the nearest hospital instead of the long time it took to get her to an operating table.
I don’t think he was behind it but the late queen absolutely was. Charles would have realized that killing Diana would grant her instant sainthood status.
The dense and incurious QEII possessed no such insight.
Can’t wait for the Whoresilla chapters.
I am living for this mess. It’s so funny to see people come after Charles Spencer for his messiness, as if having three failed marriages somehow impacts your memory. I don’t think the King is stupid and he does have a work ethic, but Earl Spencer is an actual historian and published writer. He was a journalist. He kept personal papers, probably still does. He wrote a well-received memoir about his childhood, recounting memories going back decades before Diana died. And he was clear as a bell when he gave the eulogy at her funeral.
He doesn’t need to be a good husband or father to be a credible source here.
Peter Hunt is awesome. He’s so over Charles and the royals.
Meanwhile, Lord Finkelstein — how is that a real name? (England is such a silly country) — bemoaning Charles Spencer’s decision to write this book.
He was Diana’s brother. He has every right in the world to write this book. And he’s a historian. Of course he wants to record his memories of her for the sake of posterity.
I find it quite amusing how all the royal reporters are so quick to write books while claiming they are experts on the lives of the royals, yet are appalled at the idea of the people such as Prince Harry and Earl Spencer writing about themselves or close relatives. They really believe that they know more than the people who live these lives.
Yes, I’m actually glad he wrote this book now and not 29 years ago. his view is going to be different at this point and probably looking at it as a brother, an aristocrat who is not impressed with the Windsors, and a historian.
And of course Charles is incandescent. Something we’ve talked about on here for years now is how it seems no one is willing to tell the truth to Charles or William’s faces about their actions, how they’re perceived, etc. Sometimes a RR will get close but they always backpedal a bit. Neither one can handle any type of criticism and this book seems like its going to have plenty of criticism for Charles.
When I read his name, the first thing I thought of was Saturday morning cartoons. The bad guy’s assistants were always named Finklestein.
I’m glad it’s coming out now, while lots of people are still young enough to have been around at the time of Diana’s death, and while Charles is still around to see the reaction of those who remember. It’s not like KCIII has covered himself with glory in past years, certainly not with respect to his behavior towards Harry and his family. It must kill him that he can’t take Althorp from the 9th Earl Spencer the way he yanked Frogmore from Harry and Meghan after Spare was published.
Wait I missed the part about Lord Finkelstein! LMAO.
I hope Charles Spencer TORCHES many of the “royal experts” who have made a mint and continue to scrape a living slandering his sister, and who moved on to help the palaces apply the same script to Diana’s younger son and his wife and children.
“… who moved on to help the palaces apply the same script to Diana’s younger son and his wife and children.” Exactly. It’s like déjà vu all over again.
You know who else is incandescent? Charles Spencer. There’s no way he wasn’t going to push send.
That might be true but I think he’s earned the right by now. He’s sat on this for decades. He made a career as a writer and historian and took it seriously. He wrote a very effective book about his time in boarding school, and in the process helped shine a light on the abuse he and his classmates suffered. He didn’t just focus on himself. He gave them a voice too.
She was his sister. He others can write about her, he certainly can.
This is another reason why i think the timing is good for this book. Had he done this a year or two after Diana died, it would have seemed like cashing in etc. But now – he has several history books under his belt (maybe some were before 1997, I’m not sure) and his very personal memoir about boarding school was well received. he’s a very good writer and I don’t think this is going to be a hit piece on Charles, actually. Well I mean I think it IS a hit piece on Charles (the royal) but only bc of his own actions and behavior. I dont think charles spencer sat down and said “I’m going to tear Charlie Windsor a new one,” I think that’s just going to be part of the fallout because of how Charles treated Diana.
I feel like he’s writing this to be part of the historical record- much as Harry did with Spare – and if it feels like a hit piece on the Windsors….well thats on them for their poor behavior.
Oh, totally earned it and why would the Windsors think otherwise? Althorp has a special island with a Doric temple to Diana, for heaven’s sake. BP must have known Spencer would write something sooner or later, and it wouldn’t it be good for them.
LOL this is even better than “recollections may vary.” Yeah, Charles should have just kept silent and just said he was not planning on reading the book if asked by reporters. He does not know how to be diplomatic like his mother. What’s even funnier is he can’t really hold anything over Charles Spencer’s head and he knows it. Charles S. is not in line to the throne, does not depend on the BRF for money or lodging, and has his own personal wealth. Charles Spencer certainly doesn’t care about attending royal events or anything like that. It’s not the same dynamic as King Charles and Harry. And yeah, the book is going to bring in revenue for him.
I know Charles Spencer is not a saint, I don’t think he has any relationship with some of his daughters (he didn’t attend their weddings I think?) and he’s been married several times so he’s probably difficult to live with. But he has been welcoming to Harry and Meghan and provided them a safe haven in the UK and has always been defensive about his sister.
The Spencers are also more British as compared to the German Windsors and they also have bluer blood. HA, this must be KILLING Chuckles. I pre-ordered, can’t wait.
And on a shallow note, they’re better looking.
Well, I plan to buy a copy as soon as possible.
Chuckles great granddad famously said about good old Uncle David ( King Edward), the boy will ruin himself 6months after I’m dead. It’s been noted that through the years that Lizzie wasn’t holding on just for shits and giggles, but she and Phillip had peeped out that Charles was not up to the task, Ann was better suited. Looks like between her two sons and her lazy grandson and his wife, they’ll destroy the entire thing. They’re worried about the Sussex family and it’s the Windsor’s who are going to blow it. I hope Meghan is sitting in her home, calling her friends and having the biggest laugh ever.
Can we send them a thesaurus? It’s getting a bit boring all the royal men being incandescent all the time.
CJ, good point. But it is a good word for Charles and especially Will, wouldn’t you agree?
I’m also wondering about the timing of the book. I’m sure it must have been highly strategic, since the Earl had decades to write the book. What is it about now that inflicts the most damage on Charles? Of course, Charles totally deserves it and did 30 years ago too. Could it be to help the Sussexes in some way? Help me out here.
That might be part of it. Perhaps he figured it made more sense to wait until he was King. People are not as interested in the Prince of Wales. Maybe Charles needed to go through his own journey as a writer and a human being before he was in the place to even want to do this.
I’m sure he is being well paid, but I doubt this is all about money. He has a lot of it already.