Earl Spencer Drops Bombshells: Charles' 'Giddy Tone' & Diana Funeral Row Revealed
Earl Spencer Drops Bombshells: Charles' 'Giddy Tone' & Diana Funeral Row Revealed
Earl Spencer's new memoir, 'Swan Song,' reveals stunning allegations against King Charles, including a 'giddy tone' after Diana's death and a controversial funeral comment. Dive into the BBC interview's royal revelations
Earl Spencer, brother to the late Princess Diana, has made headlines with claims from his new book, 'Swan Song,' asserting it was his "duty...as an eyewitness to history" to write. In an exclusive interview with the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg, Spencer aimed "to put things down once and for all that were true," particularly regarding his interactions with King Charles, then Prince of Wales.
Among the most striking allegations in 'Swan Song' is a contentious exchange with Charles concerning whether Princes William and Harry should walk in Diana's funeral procession. Spencer claims Charles retorted, "We'll forget her soon enough." This explosive revelation prompted a swift response from Buckingham Palace, stating the King was
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.
Spencer also recounted the harrowing moments leading up to Diana's death. In South Africa when the Paris car crash occurred, he initially received a call from his sister, Lady Jane Fellowes, who described the incident as "not too serious." However, subsequent calls became increasingly distressing, culminating in the devastating news: "I'm afraid she's died." Spencer detailed the emotional rollercoaster from a "little prang" to a "broken leg, perhaps a head injury, and then death."
Adding to the controversy, Earl Spencer described a call he received from Prince Charles hours after Diana's passing, where Charles explained how he broke the news to his sons at Balmoral Castle. Spencer noted a "giddy tone" in Charles's voice, which "really jarred" with him. In his book, Spencer likens Charles's tone to that of a "lottery winner," speculating it stemmed from the anticipation of marrying Camilla.
While acknowledging he "cannot be sure," Spencer presented it as a "possibility" based on the tone.
The argument over the funeral procession further highlights the tension.
Spencer claims that after a palace official informed him of the plan for William and Harry to walk, he voiced his strong opposition, believing it was not what Diana would have wanted.
He then received a call from Charles, who, upon hearing Spencer's resistance, went "ballistic." Charles reportedly cited his own experience walking behind Lord Mountbatten's coffin, to which Spencer countered, "Yes, but you were 30 and he wasn't your mother." Spencer concluded, "I can not believe you just said that," before hanging up after the "forget her soon enough" remark. These interviews and the forthcoming memoir promise to reignite discussions about the tumultuous history of the Royal Family.
