The book, published on Tuesday and serialized in the Daily Mail, contains a series of accusations about the royal family’s conduct surrounding Diana’s death in August 1997. Among the most striking, Spencer writes that Charles phoned him hours after the crash and said he had informed Prince William and Prince Harry of their mother’s death in a matter‑of‑fact manner, sounding “giddily elated – like a lottery winner”.
Spencer also alleges that, during a later conversation, Charles told him the nation would “forget her soon enough”, a comment he interprets as a sign of contempt for the public outpouring of grief. The memoir presents these statements as part of a broader pattern of indifference and manipulation by the king, according to Spencer’s account.
A palace spokesperson responded on Wednesday, refusing to comment on the book itself but noting that “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.” The statement stopped short of confirming or denying the specific allegations.
Spencer has accused the royal household of “gaslighting” him, saying the palace’s remarks were an attempt to portray his claims as lies without giving the king a chance to refute them. He described the response as “astonishingly provocative and below the belt”.
The memoir also revisits other long‑standing rumors, including claims that the Queen initially reacted to news of the crash with irritation, that Charles had told Diana he was “very happy to marry her, but not in love”, and that Diana suffered from an eating disorder and contemplated suicide. While these additional allegations are presented in the book, they remain unverified by independent sources.
The publication of Swan Song adds to a series of post‑mortem revelations about the royal family that have surfaced in recent years, prompting renewed public debate over the monarchy’s handling of Diana’s death and the legacy of Charles’s reign. Critics argue the memoir may be driven by personal grievances, while supporters see it as a rare insider’s perspective on a historically opaque institution.
No legal action has been announced by the palace or by Charles’s representatives in response to the specific claims. The book’s serialization in a major newspaper suggests it will continue to shape public discourse in the coming weeks.