Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, is at the center of renewed attention as his highly personal memoir about his sister Diana, Princess of Wales, nears its U.S. release. Swan Song: Diana, My Sister is scheduled to arrive on September 22, 2026, bringing Spencer’s memories of Diana’s childhood, royal life and final days into the spotlight.
The book has already generated international interest before publication. Recent previews have focused on Spencer’s recollections of conversations surrounding Diana’s funeral and his concerns about the role of her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, in the procession.
The timing is also significant. The memoir comes less than a year before the 30th anniversary of Diana’s death in August 1997.
Charles Spencer’s New Memoir Arrives September 22
Spencer’s upcoming book is the biggest current development in his public life.
Swan Song: Diana, My Sister will be published in the United States by Penguin Press. The 384-page memoir examines Diana’s life through the memories of her younger brother.
The book is not presented as a conventional royal biography. Spencer writes from the perspective of someone who knew Diana from childhood and remained closely connected to her throughout her life.
The memoir covers their early years at the Spencer family estate, their experiences following their parents’ divorce, Diana’s marriage to the Prince of Wales and the events surrounding her death in Paris.
Spencer has described the book as his most personal work.
He also said that writing it gave him an opportunity to put his own memories on record rather than continue seeing accounts of Diana that he believes do not accurately reflect the sister he knew.
New Claims About Diana’s Funeral
The most immediate news surrounding the memoir involves Spencer’s account of a conversation with King Charles III.
In excerpts released before publication, Spencer recalls a telephone call with the then-Prince Charles following Diana’s death.
One of the disagreements concerned whether William and Harry should walk behind their mother’s coffin during the funeral procession.
William was 15 at the time, while Harry was 12.
Spencer has written that he questioned whether the boys should be expected to participate in such a public and emotionally difficult event.
His memoir says the discussion became heated. Spencer also recalls the future king making a comment that he interpreted as dismissive of Diana’s future public memory.
The allegation has received major attention because it concerns a private conversation from 1997.
The account comes from Spencer’s own recollection and should be understood as his version of that conversation. It is not presented as an independently recorded transcript.
King Charles Responds to Spencer’s Account
The claims have prompted a response from the royal side.
Reports published on September 16 said King Charles issued a statement addressing Spencer’s account.
The response centers on the reliability of memories formed during a period of intense grief.
That distinction is important because the disagreement involves events nearly three decades old. Spencer remembers the conversation one way, while the royal response disputes the characterization attributed to the King.
The exchange has nevertheless increased interest in Swan Song ahead of its September 22 publication.
For readers in the United States, the development also provides a rare look at how two members of Diana’s family remember the difficult period immediately following her death.
Spencer’s Memories of Diana Begin With Childhood
A major part of the memoir focuses on the years before Diana became a global celebrity.
Spencer and Diana were the youngest children of John Spencer, the 8th Earl Spencer, and Frances Shand Kydd.
The siblings grew up within the Spencer family environment at Althorp.
Their childhood was affected by their parents’ divorce. Spencer’s memoir discusses the difficult experiences that followed, including their education and family changes.
Those memories are particularly important because they present Diana as a family member rather than as the internationally famous Princess of Wales.
The memoir describes the closeness between the two siblings and their shared experiences before Diana entered royal life.
That early relationship provides the foundation for Spencer’s later observations about the enormous changes in Diana’s life.
Diana’s Marriage Changed the Family’s Public Life
Diana married Charles, then Prince of Wales, in 1981.
The marriage transformed her into one of the world’s most recognizable public figures.
For Spencer, however, she remained his sister.
That created a complicated position. He could see the scale of public fascination with Diana while also knowing the person behind the public image.
Swan Song explores that contrast.
Spencer writes about Diana’s experiences as a member of the royal family and her growing role in public life.
Her work involving charities and vulnerable communities also forms part of the story.
The book follows the transition from Diana’s relatively private childhood to a life watched closely by television cameras, newspapers and photographers.
Spencer’s Famous 1997 Funeral Eulogy
Spencer’s connection to Diana became especially visible after her death.
At Diana’s funeral at Westminster Abbey in September 1997, Spencer delivered a widely remembered eulogy.
His speech focused on Diana’s personality, her compassion and her relationship with her sons.
He also criticized the pressures she faced from the media and royal establishment.
Nearly three decades later, the themes from that speech remain connected to Spencer’s writing.
The new memoir allows him to revisit the experiences behind that public address.
Spencer has said the purpose of Swan Song is to present Diana from her brother’s perspective.
That makes the memoir a continuation of an aspect of his public role that began immediately after Diana’s death.
Spencer Says Diana Would Have Approved the Book
Spencer recently shared his first physical copy of Swan Song on Instagram.
He described the memoir as the most personal of the books he has written over his career.
After recording the audiobook, Spencer said he felt he had expressed what he wanted and needed to say about Diana.
He also said he believed his sister would have approved of the finished work.
That statement provides insight into how Spencer views the project.
The memoir is not simply another account of Diana’s public life. Spencer presents it as a personal tribute from a brother who spent much of his childhood with her.
The 29th Anniversary of Diana’s Death
Spencer marked the 29th anniversary of Diana’s death on August 31, 2026.
He shared images connected with Althorp and referred to the anniversary as a particularly difficult day.
Diana died in Paris on August 31, 1997, after a car crash.
Her death triggered an extraordinary international response and remains one of the defining events of the modern British royal story.
For Spencer, the anniversary has personal significance.
This year’s remembrance also occurred only weeks before the release of Swan Song, giving the memoir additional relevance as public attention again turns toward Diana.
The 30th anniversary will take place on August 31, 2027.
Charles Spencer and Althorp
Althorp remains one of the most important places in Spencer’s life.
The Northamptonshire estate has been associated with the Spencer family for more than 500 years.
It was Diana’s childhood home and later became her final resting place.
Diana was buried on an island in the estate’s Oval Lake after her funeral.
Althorp continues to play an important role in Spencer’s work and public identity.
The estate is currently closed to visitors and is expected to reopen in 2027.
The property also contains an extensive collection of historic paintings, furniture, ceramics and other objects connected to the Spencer family.
For Spencer, Althorp represents both family history and personal memory.
Those connections feature prominently in the story he tells about Diana.
Charles Spencer Marries Cat Jarman
Another major development in Spencer’s personal life occurred in May 2026.
He married archaeologist Cat Jarman in a private ceremony in Arizona on May 15.
Jarman is a bioarchaeologist, author and broadcaster known for her work on Viking history and archaeology.
The relationship developed from a professional connection. Spencer and Jarman had previously worked together through their shared interest in history and archaeology.
They also co-hosted The Rabbit Hole Detectives, a podcast exploring historical subjects.
The Arizona wedding followed Spencer’s divorce from Karen Spencer, which was finalized in late 2025.
Spencer’s marriage to Jarman is his fourth.
His current family life has received attention alongside the upcoming memoir because both Spencer and Jarman continue to maintain public careers connected to history and research.
Spencer’s Career as a Historian and Broadcaster
Spencer’s public career extends well beyond his connection to Diana.
He is an author, historian, journalist, broadcaster and public speaker.
Before focusing heavily on historical writing, he worked for NBC News as an on-air correspondent from 1986 to 1995.
That experience gave him extensive exposure to American audiences.
He later developed a career writing books about British history and historical personalities.
His work has included subjects ranging from the English Civil War to royal history and military events.
Swan Song takes a more personal approach than many of his previous books.
Rather than examining a historical subject from the outside, Spencer is writing about someone he knew throughout her life.
Why the Memoir Matters Now
The timing of Swan Song gives the book particular importance.
Diana’s death occurred almost 30 years ago, yet interest in her life remains strong in the United States and internationally.
Spencer has rarely written at length about his sister in book form.
That changes with the new memoir.
The book provides memories from a member of Diana’s immediate family who knew her before her royal marriage and remained connected to her after she became a global figure.
It also revisits the week surrounding her death.
That period has been examined extensively over the years, but Spencer offers his own personal memories of what happened.
The result is a memoir centered on family experience rather than a conventional chronological royal history.
Stolen Copies Add to Pre-Publication Attention
The memoir has also attracted attention because several Dutch-language copies were reportedly stolen from a delivery truck in the Netherlands.
Four copies of the Dutch edition were reported missing before publication.
The Dutch edition carries the title Zwanenzang.
The incident occurred shortly before the scheduled release of the English-language edition.
The theft has become another unusual development surrounding the book’s publication, although the U.S. release remains scheduled for September 22.
The English-language edition is being published by Penguin Press in the United States.
What Readers Will Find in the Memoir
The book covers several stages of Diana’s life through Spencer’s memories.
Key subjects include:
- Diana and Spencer’s childhood at Althorp
- Their experiences following their parents’ divorce
- Their education and family relationships
- Diana’s marriage to the Prince of Wales
- Her transformation into a global public figure
- Her charitable work and relationship with her sons
- The intense media attention surrounding her
- The final week before her death
- Spencer’s memories of the funeral
- His continuing reflections on Diana’s legacy
These subjects give the memoir a broad chronological scope while maintaining a personal focus.
Spencer’s position as Diana’s brother remains central throughout the book.
Charles Spencer’s Current Status
As of September 17, 2026, Spencer remains focused on the launch of Swan Song: Diana, My Sister.
The U.S. edition is scheduled for September 22.
He is also continuing his work as a historian, author and public speaker while maintaining his connection to Althorp.
His marriage to Cat Jarman is another major part of his current personal life.
The latest attention surrounding Spencer, however, is overwhelmingly centered on his memoir and its new account of Diana.
The book arrives at a significant moment. Diana’s 30th death anniversary is now less than a year away, while public interest in her life continues across generations.
Spencer’s latest work gives readers an opportunity to hear his memories directly and understand how he remembers his sister beyond her royal title.
The recent discussion surrounding his account of the funeral also demonstrates why the memoir has attracted attention before its official release.
For Spencer, the book marks a deeply personal return to one of the defining relationships of his life.
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