Earl Spencer: King Charles Expressed Elation After Diana's Passing

WHO:

CBS News - Charles Spencer, brother of Princess Diana, is 62 years old; King Charles is 77 years old.

NBC News - Earl Spencer, Princess Diana’s brother

NBC News - King Charles, then-Prince Charles

WHAT:

NBC News - Earl Spencer claims that during a phone call following Diana's death, Charles expressed anger and said, “we’ll forget her soon enough.”

The Mercury News - Spencer's memoir, "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister," includes a claim that Diana told him, “But my husband is in love with his valet,” regarding her reasons for seeking a divorce.

BBC - Earl Spencer stated in a BBC interview, “I just, after a stunned silence, I said, I cannot believe you just said that. And I hung up on him,” referring to his conversation with Charles after Diana's death.

NBC News - Earl Spencer claims that during his first conversation with Charles after Diana's death, Charles "sounded giddily elated, like a lottery winner."

NBC News - Spencer alleges that Charles expressed “pent-up contempt” for Diana during a dispute over their sons walking behind her coffin at her funeral, stating, “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough!”

The Mercury News - Spencer wrote that he was "silent for a moment" upon hearing Diana's statement about her husband being in love with his valet.

The Mercury News - Spencer claims that Princess Diana told him she would seek a divorce because "my husband is in love with his valet."

The Mercury News - Spencer describes a lunch in the 1990s where Diana revealed her reasons for seeking a divorce, stating, “I was silent for a moment. I had known things were bad, but not this bad.”

The Independent - Earl Spencer claims that the late Queen reacted “tetchily” to the news of Princess Diana's car crash, asking, “What is she up to now?” before the severity of the situation was known.

The Independent - Spencer stated that the Queen considered restoring Diana’s Her Royal Highness title, which she lost upon her divorce from Charles.

NBC News - Earl Spencer's memoir, titled "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister," is set to be officially released next week.

NBC News - Spencer claims that during a tense conversation with Charles, he expressed disbelief at Charles' reaction, stating, "I cannot believe you just said that. And I hung up on him."

NBC News - Spencer alleges that Charles voiced “pent-up contempt” for Diana during a dispute over their sons walking behind her coffin at her funeral, stating, “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough!”

NBC News - Earl Spencer claims that during a tense conversation with Charles, he expressed disbelief at Charles' reaction, stating, "I cannot believe you just said that. And I hung up on him."

US Magazine - In an excerpt from his memoir, Spencer recalled that during his first conversation with Charles after Diana's death, Charles "sounded giddily elated, like a lottery winner."

CBS News - Earl Spencer claims that Charles seemed "upbeat" right after Princess Diana died in a Paris car crash in 1997.

NBC News - Spencer wrote that Charles sounded “giddily elated” when he first called about the news of Diana's fatal car crash.

The Mercury News - Earl Spencer claims that Princess Diana discovered a love affair between Charles and his valet, stating, “But my husband is in love with his valet.”

The Mercury News - Spencer describes a tense lunch conversation in the 1990s where he expressed concern about public perception of Diana's marriage.

The Mercury News - Spencer alleges that Charles voiced “pent-up contempt” for Diana during a dispute over their sons walking behind her coffin at her funeral.

The Mercury News - Earl Spencer claims that Princess Diana told him she would seek a divorce because "my husband is in love with his valet."

The Mercury News - Spencer describes a lunch in the 1990s with Diana where she revealed her reasons for the divorce.

The Mercury News - Spencer wrote that he was "silent for a moment" upon hearing Diana's statement about her husband.

NBC News - Earl Spencer claims that King Charles “sounded giddily elated, like a lottery winner” after Princess Diana's death.

NBC News - Buckingham Palace issued a rare and strongly worded denial regarding Spencer's claims.

WHERE:

NBC News - Buckingham Palace

WHEN:

NBC News - Earl Spencer’s memoir is set to be officially released next week.

WHY:

The Independent - Buckingham Palace issued a statement warning 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,” in response to Spencer's claims.

NBC News - Buckingham Palace issued a statement warning that grief can “cloud reason” and “color memory” in response to Spencer's claims, which they described as a broad repudiation of his book.

The Independent - Spencer insists he is being truthful about his claims regarding the royal family's reactions to Diana's death, following backlash from Buckingham Palace, which stated that grief can “cloud reason.”

BBC - Earl Spencer defended his claims about Charles in a BBC interview, stating, "I'm telling the truth."

NBC News - Buckingham Palace issued a statement warning that grief can “cloud reason” and “color memory” in response to Spencer's claims.

NBC News - The claims made by Earl Spencer suggest a cold-hearted reaction from King Charles to Princess Diana's death.

HOW:

The Mercury News - Michael Fawcett, who was Charles' valet, joined the royal household as a footman to Queen Elizabeth in 1981 and later became head of The Prince’s Foundation.

NBC News - Spencer described a lunch in the 1990s where Diana revealed her reasons for seeking a divorce, stating, “I was silent for a moment. I had known things were bad, but not this bad.”

The Mercury News - Spencer described a lunch in the 1990s where Diana revealed her reasons for seeking a divorce, stating, “I was silent for a moment. I had known things were bad, but not this bad.”

The Mercury News - Spencer described a lunch in the 1990s where Diana revealed her reasons for seeking a divorce, stating, “But my husband is in love with his valet.”

The Mercury News - Michael Fawcett, who was Charles' valet, joined the royal household as a footman to Queen Elizabeth in 1981 and later became head of The Prince’s Foundation.

The Mercury News - Fawcett was involved in a “cash-for-honors” scandal in 2021, where he was reported to have offered to help a Saudi billionaire secure British citizenship and a knighthood.

The Mercury News - Spencer's memoir, titled "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister," includes these claims and is set to be released next week.

NBC News - Excerpts from Earl Spencer’s memoir are being released to the public ahead of its official publication.

(UPDATED September 19, 2026 12:57 UTC)

Earl Spencer has made shocking claims in his memoir, "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister," including that during a phone call after Princess Diana's death, Charles expressed anger and said, “we’ll forget her soon enough.” In a BBC interview, Spencer recounted his disbelief at Charles's words, stating, “I just, after a stunned silence, I said, I cannot believe you just said that. And I hung up on him.” In response to these revelations, Buckingham Palace issued a statement cautioning that the pain of fraternal grief can distort memory and judgment in ways that may not be recognized, even years later.

(UPDATED September 19, 2026 08:56 UTC)

Earl Spencer has made some striking claims about his conversations with Charles following Princess Diana's death, stating that Charles sounded "giddily elated" and expressed "pent-up contempt" for Diana during a dispute about their sons at her funeral. Spencer also revealed that Diana confided in him about her intention to seek a divorce, citing Charles's love for his valet, Michael Fawcett, which left him momentarily speechless. In response to these allegations, Buckingham Palace issued a statement warning that grief can “cloud reason” and “color memory,” firmly rejecting Spencer's assertions.

(UPDATED September 19, 2026 07:57 UTC)

Earl Spencer has revealed that the late Queen reacted “tetchily” to the news of Princess Diana's car crash, reportedly asking, “What is she up to now?” before the full extent of the situation was understood. He also mentioned that the Queen contemplated restoring Diana’s Her Royal Highness title, which she lost after her divorce from Charles. Spencer stands by his statements about the royal family's responses to Diana's death, despite Buckingham Palace's assertion that grief can “cloud reason.”

(UPDATED September 19, 2026 03:57 UTC)

Earl Spencer's memoir, titled "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister," is set to be officially released next week, and it includes some explosive claims about his late sister, Princess Diana. In the book, Spencer recounts a tense conversation with Charles, where he expressed disbelief at Charles' reaction to a dispute over their sons walking behind Diana's coffin, stating, "Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough!" Buckingham Palace has responded to these allegations, warning that grief can “cloud reason” and “color memory,” which they describe as a broad repudiation of Spencer's book.

(UPDATED September 18, 2026 18:58 UTC)

Earl Spencer has made headlines after revealing that he hung up on Charles during a tense conversation, expressing disbelief at Charles' reaction. In a BBC interview, Spencer defended his claims, asserting, "I'm telling the truth." This exchange has sparked renewed interest in their relationship and the dynamics within the royal family.

(UPDATED September 18, 2026 17:00 UTC)

In a recent excerpt from his memoir, Charles Spencer, the brother of Princess Diana, shared a striking memory of his first conversation with King Charles after Diana's death, describing Charles as sounding "giddily elated, like a lottery winner." In response to Spencer's claims, Buckingham Palace issued a statement cautioning that grief can “cloud reason” and “color memory,” labeling his comments as a broad repudiation of his book. Spencer also recounted a poignant lunch in the 1990s where Diana opened up about her reasons for seeking a divorce, admitting, “I was silent for a moment. I had known things were bad, but not this bad.”

(UPDATED September 18, 2026 16:01 UTC)

Earl Spencer has made claims suggesting that Charles appeared "upbeat" and even "giddily elated" shortly after Princess Diana's tragic death in a car crash in 1997. In response, Buckingham Palace issued a statement cautioning that grief can “cloud reason” and “color memory.” Spencer also recounted a lunch from the 1990s where Diana expressed her reasons for seeking a divorce, saying, “But my husband is in love with his valet.”

(UPDATED September 18, 2026 14:59 UTC)

Earl Spencer has made explosive claims about Princess Diana, stating that she discovered a love affair between Charles and his valet, Michael Fawcett, who joined the royal household in 1981. Spencer also recounted a tense lunch conversation from the 1990s, where he expressed his concerns about how the public viewed Diana's marriage, and he alleged that Charles expressed “pent-up contempt” for Diana during a dispute over their sons walking behind her coffin at her funeral. Fawcett, who later became head of The Prince’s Foundation, was previously embroiled in a “cash-for-honors” scandal in 2021, where he reportedly offered to assist a Saudi billionaire in securing British citizenship and a knighthood.

(UPDATED September 18, 2026 14:00 UTC)

Earl Spencer has made a striking claim in his upcoming memoir, "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister," revealing that Princess Diana confided in him about her intention to seek a divorce, stating, "my husband is in love with his valet." He recounted a lunch from the 1990s where she shared her reasons for wanting to end her marriage, leaving him momentarily speechless upon hearing her words. The memoir is scheduled for release next week, and these revelations are sure to draw significant attention.

(UPDATED September 18, 2026 13:04 UTC)

Earl Spencer, Princess Diana’s brother, has made claims in excerpts from his upcoming memoir that King Charles reacted to Diana's death with elation, describing him as sounding “giddily elated, like a lottery winner.” In response, Buckingham Palace has issued a rare and strongly worded denial of these allegations. The memoir is set to be officially released next week, raising significant public interest in the claims regarding the royal family's response to such a tragic event.