King Charles releases rare statement accusing Princess Diana’s brother of misremembering the past in new memoir: ‘The pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and color memory’
King Charles III is defending himself over an alleged remark he made about Princess Diana.
His Majesty and Buckingham Palace spoke out after a newly released excerpt from Charles Spencer‘s upcoming memoir about the late Princess of Wales claimed Charles made a shocking statement about Diana following her 1997 death.
Charles releases rare statement accusing Diana’s brother of misremembering the past in new memoir
In a passage from Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, the mother of two’s brother recalled a fiery row with the current leader of England, where Charles allegedly said his relatives and the public would “forget” Diana “soon enough” after her passing.
“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,” the 77-year-old and The Firm said in response to the claim via ABC News.
The institution rarely comments publicly on allegations surrounding the royal family.
Charles and Spencer’s argument stemmed from William and Harry
Per the tell-all, the argument between Charles and Spencer stemmed from one of Queen Elizabeth II‘s aides insisting that Prince William and Prince Harry walk behind their mom’s casket during the funeral.
“‘That’s not going to happen,’” the protective uncle told the former Prince of Wales.
“Prince Charles continued his stream of anger, without me interrupting. Then he stopped,” Spencer wrote about an exchange with Charles. “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.”
Spencer was stunned by Charles’ alleged remark
According to the 62-year-old, the monarch made a heartless comment about his children’s mother.
“‘Rest assured,’ he hissed, ‘we’ll forget her soon enough!’” Spencer claimed Charles told him.
“’I can’t believe you just said that,’” the author replied to his former brother-in-law.
Charles’ former communications director defends him
Julian Payne, once Charles’ communications director, told BBC Radio 4’s Today show that the alleged statement seems out of character for the monarch.
“What I remember was he was very clear that there was never to be any criticism, never to be any pushback on the narratives that were usually highly critical of him,” the ex-employee explained. “He was absolutely emphatic that we were to respect her [Diana] memory and not undermine it in any way. When he was telling us there was never to be any criticism or pushback, that wasn’t about him.”
“That was absolutely about the late princess and her memory, so it seems to me very odd that, in the moment itself, with the grief of his family and his own shock, that he would choose that moment to use those words. It’s just not language that I recognize,” Payne pointed out.