ROYAL FAMILY NEWSKing Charles Pushes Back on Claims He Wanted the Public to 'Forget' Princess Diana
Princess Diana was at the center of claims that her memory could eventually fade from the public’s mind.
Sept. 19 2026, Published 11:33 a.m. ET
King Charles is pushing back on a claim that he once told Princess Diana's brother, Charles Spencer, that the public would soon "forget" her.
The alleged exchange was reportedly discussed in Charles' upcoming memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister.
Buckingham Palace responded to the claim in a statement made to the BBC.
"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," the statement said.
Charles Spencer Revisited Princess Diana's Death
Princess Diana was at the center of a reported conversation between her brother and King Charles.
Per Variety, Charles' memoir reportedly detailed a conversation with the present British monarch shortly after Diana died in a car crash in 1997.
According to reports, the conversation became heated, with Charles claiming that the current British king allegedly "hissed" at him and remarked on Diana's memory.
"Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough!" the memoir stated.
The alleged exchange was reportedly made over the phone, with Charles recalling the conversation years later in his memoir.
Diana’s Memoir Drew Attention Before Release
Princess Diana was remembered as Charles Spencer’s memoir revisited her life and death.
The book’s contents began circulating before its scheduled publication.
Daily Mail reported that a truck carrying copies from a printing plant to a warehouse in the Netherlands was intercepted while parked in a lay-by. Four copies of the book were reportedly stolen.
Details from the memoir surfaced soon after, including Charles's account of his conversation with the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II.
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Charles Spencer’s Book Revisits a Difficult Family Chapter
Princess Diana's life and time within the royal family is revisited in Charles Spencer's memoir.
The memoir is expected to explore Charles' relationship with his sister and her life within the royal family.
Diana and Charles III's marriage was marked by public scrutiny, infidelity and tension before their divorce in 1996.
The new claims also come after Prince Harry's 2022 memoir, Spare, which revealed personal details about his life within the royal family and contributed to tensions between Harry and his relatives.
Princess Diana spoke to Charles Spencer about divorcing then-Prince Charles during a lunch in London.
Per Daily Mail, which posted the first excerpt, Charles recalled a conversation with his sister about the state of her marriage to the then-Prince.
During lunch at San Lorenzo in London, the siblings used their nicknames for each other, Duch and Carlos, as Diana opened up about her plans.
"She looked down at the table and said, 'Carlos, I’m going to get divorced,'" the memoir read.
Spencer said the admission left him surprised by how serious the situation had become.
"I was silent for a moment. I had known things were bad, but not this bad," the book said.
"'Well, Duch,' I carefully replied, 'you of course have my full support… I know you’ll have thought this through. But my main worry is the public. I fear they won’t forgive you. They’ve bought into a fairytale, and I reckon they may well — wrongly — blame you for destroying their fantasy,'" the book added.
