King Charles 'in full damage control mode' after bombshell Princess Diana allegations

Hannah Furnell Fri, September 18, 2026 at 12:29 PM UTC

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King Charles is "in full damage control mode" after the first excerpts from Earl Spencer's bombshell book about his sister, Princess Diana, made allegations against him, according to reports.

The 9th Earl Spencer's upcoming book, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, which will be released on September 22, marks the first time that he's spoken "openly" and "at length" about his late sister. Spencer was inspired to write it after being "inundated" with interview requests as the 30th anniversary of Diana's death approaches next year.

However, the snippets already released from the upcoming book appear to take aim at the 77-year-old monarch, who divorced Diana in 1996. One excerpt, which claims Charles once said that his ex-wife would be forgotten "soon enough" after her death in 1997, has now prompted a rare response from the palace.

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Now, a royal source has told Radar Online, "The Palace is acutely aware of how damaging an allegation of this nature can be because Diana remains such an important figure to millions of people.

"There was a feeling that allowing such a serious claim to circulate completely unanswered would risk it becoming accepted as fact. The response reflects just how seriously this is being taken, and Charles is now in full damage control mode."

Royal sources claim King Charles is in 'damage control' after Spencer's claims in his Diana book (Image: Getty)

Another insider claimed, "This is not an intervention the Palace would make lightly. There is no desire to become involved in a prolonged public argument with Diana's brother, but equally there was determination to challenge his version of such an intensely emotional conversation."

In the book, Spencer alleges the then-Prince Charles made the remark Diana would soon be forgotten during a heated telephone call over whether Prince William, then 15, and Prince Harry, then 12, should walk behind their mother's coffin at her September 1997 funeral procession.

Spencer claims Charles called after learning he opposed William and Harry joining Diana's funeral procession. However, William, now 44, and Harry, now 42, said in the BBC's 2017 documentary Diana, 7 Days, that it was a "group decision" for them to join.

William said at the time, "It wasn't an easy decision, and it was a collective family decision to do that."

Regardless, the exchange between Spencer and the then-Prince Charles got tense, as Spencer writes that "Prince Charles continued his stream of anger, without me interrupting. Then he stopped."

Earl Spencer claims a then-Prince Charles said people would forget Princess Diana (Image: Getty)

"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 writes. "'Rest assured,' he hissed, 'we'll forget her soon enough!'"

Spencer said he replied, "I can't believe you just said that," before ending the call.

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A statement from a palace spokesperson released shortly after the story was published said, "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 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," Spencer said in a press release.

He added, "As with my eulogy, I want to speak on Diana's behalf and do so in an openly positive way."

Earl Spencer was inspired to write his book about Diana after being 'inundated' with interview requests as the 30th anniversary of her death approaches (Image: Getty)

Spencer's book's description states, "In September 1997, Charles Spencer stood in Westminster Abbey before a watching world and shared his grief at losing his beloved sister, Diana, in a eulogy that was judged to be one of the great speeches of the twentieth century.

"Now, nearly thirty years later, he tells the astonishing story of his life with Diana and the tragic week of her death."

Despite Radar Online's sources claiming Charles is in "full damage control," he appeared to be "in his happy place" during a September 16 outing in the Cairngorms in the Scottish Highlands.

Body language expert Darren Stanton observed that Charles appeared completely at ease in nature, with his relaxed posture and genuine smiles suggesting he is where he feels most comfortable.

Stanton also noted a noticeable change in the King's body language compared with 10 or 15 years ago, observing a decline in fidgeting and self-reassuring gestures, suggesting he is now far more comfortable simply being himself.

Speaking on behalf of Betfair Casino, Stanton observed, "What really stands out to me is how completely at ease the King appears to be when he's out in nature. It's his happy place. It is like Princess Anne or Zara when they're around horses.

"We know how much he loves nature and ecology, and you can really see that reflected in his body language. There's a genuine sense of peace about him, as though he's in an environment where he feels completely comfortable and able to just be himself."

The body language expert continued, "His posture is very relaxed, with his shoulders down and no obvious signs of tension or stress. His breathing appears slower and more controlled, and when he's interacting with people, his movements are calm and unhurried."

He went on to add, "There's no sense that he feels out of his depth or uncomfortable in the environment. He looks like someone who is genuinely enjoying himself and feels very much at home."

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”