In pictures: Earl Spencer and Laura Kuenssberg at the Diana memorial on the Althorp Estate
(PA)
(PA)
Bryony Gooch21 September 2026 11:20
What is Earl Spencer’s relationship with William and Harry?
Earl Spencer has remained outwardly close with Prince Harry over the years amid the Duke of Sussex’s strained relations with the Windsors, while his relationship with his nephew Prince William remains a lot more private.
The earl said in an interview with the BBC that he did not take sides in the row between the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex.
He told the BBC: “I’m on my deceased sister’s sons’ side, both of them.
“And if either of them wanted anything then I’d be equally there for them.
“And I never get involved in one camp or the other, except as a benign figure I hope.”
Earl Spencer said there are a “lot of reasons on both sides” why the brothers’ relationship had “got to this stage”.
He added: “I hope one day it’s resolved, but I don’t know all – I certainly don’t know what’s been done in the finer detail and so I would feel intrusive if I got more involved than to say of course a mother would want her two sons to be happy together and love each other.”
Charles, Earl Spencer, Harry and William walking behind the funeral cortege of Diana, the Princess of Wales (PA) (PA Archive)
Bryony Gooch21 September 2026 11:00
Watch: Earl Spencer tears up when asked if he misses Diana as he doubles down on claims about KingEarl Spencer tears up when asked if he misses Diana as he doubles down on claims about King
Bryony Gooch21 September 2026 10:38
Earl Spencer’s famous eulogy a ‘direct rebuttal’ to Charles’ comments
Earl Spencer has said his renowned funeral eulogy, in which he said his sister’s qualities would never be “extinguished from our minds”, was a “direct rebuttal” of the prince’s comments.
Princess Diana’s brother has claimed that then-prince Charles said “we’ll forget her [Diana] soon enough” as part of a “stream of anger” over the phone prior to her funeral.
He told the BBC that his recollection of the now king’s comments “will not be a surprise” to Prince Harry and Prince William.
Earl Spencer delivers his eulogy at Diana’s funeral in Westminster Abbey (John Stillwell/PA) (PA Archive)
Bryony Gooch21 September 2026 10:21
The latest: What we know ahead of the release of Earl Spencer’s book
Earl Spencer’s bombshell memoir is set to be released on Tuesday after a week of allegations being released through serialisation in The Mail.
So far, the Earl has made claims about King Charles’ behaviour around his ex-wife’s death before he was king.
The then-prince said “we’ll forget her soon enough” after Diana died in a “stream of anger” after the Earl protested to the idea that William and Harry should walk in the procession.Charles “sounded giddily elated – like a lottery winner” in a phone call to the Earl following Diana’s car crash.The Earl also told of his memories of the funeral, and his concern for Harry, after he observed a “lack of obvious care” for the then 12-year-old prince.
Earl Spencer has also spoken to the BBC where he doubled down on claims made in the memoir.
He also opened up about the Martin Bashir scandal and Diana’s relationship with the disgraced former owner of Harrods, Mohammed Al Fayed, father of her partner Dodi.
Bryony Gooch21 September 2026 10:00
Why is Earl Spencer writing this book now?
Speaking about the book last month, Earl Spencer said: “With the 30th anniversary of Diana’s tragic death on the skyline, I’ve been inundated yet again with requests for interviews about my sister.
“This has convinced me to write down my own thoughts and memories, once and for all, rather than having the discomfort of again reading the opinions of others, many of which are based on untruths that have become accepted over time.
“The aim of this book is to tell the truth about Diana from her brother’s perspective, just as I attempted to do when speaking at her funeral.
“As with my eulogy, I want to speak on Diana’s behalf and do so in an openly positive way.
“I hope this book will be of interest to the many who still cherish the memory of Diana when she was alive, and I would be delighted if those too young to remember her in her heyday feel – after reading this – that they ‘get’ who she really was: a one-off dynamic character, full of love, charisma and self-doubt, who gave life a hell of a go, and left the world a better place, despite exiting the stage while still so young.”
On his motivations for writing the book, the earl told the BBC this week it was his “duty… as an eyewitness to history”.
Bryony Gooch21 September 2026 09:40
Recap: What has the palace said about Earl Spencer’s claims so far?
In response to the claims made in the memoir, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said last Wednesday: “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 colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss.”
(Jonathan Brady/PA) (PA Wire)
Bryony Gooch21 September 2026 09:20
Earl Spencer says he has ‘never got over’ the death of Diana
Bryony Gooch21 September 2026 09:00
Pictured: Earl Spencer speaks out in BBC interview
Earl Spencer told the BBC it was his ‘duty’ to write the memoir (Jeff Overs/BBC) (PA Media)
Bryony Gooch21 September 2026 08:40
Earl Spencer: ‘Those are exactly the words he said’Earl Spencer: ‘Those are exactly the words he said’
Bryony Gooch21 September 2026 08:20