Piers Morgan to Sue Princess Diana's Brother Charles Spencer Over Memoir

Piers Morgan has reportedly threatened legal action after claims that Charles Spencer made about the media personality in his highly anticipated memoir about his sister, Princess Diana.

Spencer, 62, claimed in his book Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, set to hit bookshelves on Tuesday, September 22, that Morgan, 61, didn't react well after he personally called newspaper editors to ask them not to attend Diana's funeral at Westminster Abbey, citing years of intense press scrunity of his sister.

Despite most editors being "slightly confused" at the request but agreeing to stay away, Morgan – who was editor of the Daily Mirror at the time – was the "only one who sounded surly, as opposed to merely confused or embarrassed," according to an excerpt obtained by The Independent.

Spencer claimed that Morgan "snarled with annoyance" before hanging up.

The journalist refuted the claims in Spencer's memoir, calling them "demonstrable lies," News Week reported on Monday, September 21.

Morgan wasn't the only person to take issue with Spencer's new memoir.

King Charles, who was divorced from Diana for exactly a year at the time of her 1997 death, issued a rare public response to the memoir amid accusations that he said the world would quickly "forget" about his ex-wife following her tragic passing at 36.

"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," Buckingham Palace said.

In an excerpt published by The Daily Mail on September 16, Spencer recalled a phone call with Charles, 77, that happened right after Diana's fatal car crash on August 31, 1997.

"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 wrote, per the outlet. "'Rest assured,' he hissed, "We’ll forget her soon enough!'"

Sources reported on September 18 that Charles was in "full damage mode" after becoming embroiled in a personal dispute with his ex-wife's brother.

"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," insiders told Radar Online. "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."