ROYAL FAMILY NEWSPrincess Diana 'Slapped' Her Father Across the Face Over Secret Marriage to Second Wife Raine, Claims Her Brother: 'That’s for the Pain You’re Causing Us All'
Charles Spencer described in his recent book how much Princess Diana disliked their stepmother, Raine Spencer.
Sept. 23 2026, Updated 12:24 p.m. ET
Princess Diana was reportedly very unhappy over her father John Spencer's second marriage to wife Raine.
According to her brother, Charles Spencer, the late Princess of Wales became so enraged that she smacked John across his face when she heard the news of their secret wedding.
Princess Diana Found Out About the Marriage From Reading a Newspaper
Princess Diana and her stepmother did not have a good relationship.
John was first married to Charles and Diana's mother, Frances Shand Kydd, from 1954 until 1969.
Raine and John tied the knot in 1976, with Diana apparently finding out about the union by reading the newspaper.
In Charles' new book, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, he described Raine as a “gold-digger" and noted how much Diana "intensely disliked” her.
Princess Diana Called Raine Spencer a 'Horrid' Woman
Raine Spencer married John Spencer in 1976.
He claimed she slapped their dad and shouted: “That’s for the pain you’re causing us all!"
Charles also penned in his book he and Diana both thought Raine was a "horrid" woman, and believed she "was not to be trusted."
Ahead of the publication of his memoir on September 22, Charles opened up about the moment Diana "physically lashed out" at their dad.
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Raine Spencer and Princess Diana Did Not Have an Easy Relationship
Princess Diana reportedly didn't trust Raine Spencer's intentions.
"The [marriage] was a huge shock to us all," he told People earlier this month. "Look, we all have experience of step relations, I’m sure, but it can be very tricky and we felt we had made our feelings really clear, but of course my father had to follow his heart."
"As children, you don’t understand that. We just thought he’s letting us down and you see it from all angles later in life," Charles continued.
Diana infamously had a contentious relationship with her stepmother throughout the years, with her even nicknaming the socialite "Acid Raine."
According to Charles, Raine reportedly didn't allow John's kids to see him as his health declined following a stroke in 1978.
Princess Diana Reportedly Pushed Raine Spencer Down the Stairs
Charles Spencer previously revealed one instance where Princess Diana became physically violent.
Things between them grew especially tense in 1989, when Diana pushed Raine down the stairs at the Spencer ancestral home, Althorp, after they had a heated argument over Frances during a family event.
"I’m not saying it’s a good thing in any way to be physically violent, but it was the buildup of an enormous amount of really strong feelings and a flashpoint where I think she thought she was standing up for my mother," Charles added to People.
"My stepmother allowed my mother into the house here, but had her taken to a separate room to everyone else so she couldn’t mix with everyone. And I think Diana thought that was so unbelievably rude," he recalled of the intense moment.
