Princess Diana brother Charles Spencer is drawing renewed attention in the United States as his new memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, prepares for its September 22, 2026, publication. The book revisits Diana’s childhood, her years as Princess of Wales, the breakdown of her marriage and the events surrounding her death in 1997.
Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer, has remained one of the most recognizable members of Diana’s immediate family. He has rarely spoken at length about his relationship with her since delivering her funeral eulogy nearly three decades ago.
That changed with Swan Song. The memoir gives Spencer an opportunity to describe Diana from the perspective of a younger brother who knew her before worldwide fame transformed her life.
The book has already attracted major attention because excerpts contain Spencer’s recollections of private conversations with Diana and then-Prince Charles. Buckingham Palace has also responded to one of the central claims, making the publication a significant new chapter in the continuing public discussion surrounding Diana.
Who Is Charles Spencer?
Charles Spencer is Diana’s younger brother and the 9th Earl Spencer. He was born into the Spencer family, an aristocratic British family with a long history.
Spencer developed a career as a historian, author, journalist, broadcaster and public speaker. His work has largely focused on British history, biography and subjects connected to the past.
His relationship with Diana began long before she became Princess of Wales.
Diana and Charles were the youngest Spencer children. Their childhood included time together at the Spencer family estate, boarding school experiences and the difficult period surrounding their parents’ divorce.
The closeness between the siblings is an important part of Swan Song. Spencer describes Diana not primarily as a royal celebrity, but as the sister with whom he shared his formative years.
That personal connection gives his memoir a perspective that differs from conventional royal biographies.
Want to Know More About Charles Spencer?
Want to learn more about Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, his life, career, connection to Princess Diana, Althorp and his latest memoir Swan Song: Diana, My Sister? Read our full profile for more details about his background and the latest developments surrounding him.
Swan Song Focuses on Diana Through Her Brother’s Eyes
Swan Song: Diana, My Sister is scheduled for publication in the United States on September 22, 2026.
The book is 384 pages and is being released internationally. It covers Diana’s life from childhood through the final period before her death.
Spencer has said he decided to write the memoir after receiving renewed requests for interviews about Diana as the 30th anniversary of her death approaches.
His stated purpose is to record his memories directly rather than leave the story entirely to biographies and public accounts written by others.
The memoir is also notable because Spencer has previously discussed Diana publicly, but he has not produced a book devoted entirely to his relationship with her until now.
That makes the publication particularly important for readers interested in Diana’s family life.
A Childhood Relationship That Predated Royal Fame
Spencer’s account begins with the relationship he shared with Diana before her public life became the subject of worldwide fascination.
The siblings were close during childhood. Their shared experiences included the upheaval caused by their parents’ separation and difficult periods at school.
Those years shaped the relationship that continued after Diana entered public life.
Spencer later watched his sister become engaged to Prince Charles and marry into the British royal family in 1981.
The marriage transformed Diana’s public identity almost overnight.
For Spencer, however, she remained his sister.
That difference is central to the memoir. The book attempts to place the famous Princess of Wales alongside the private family member Spencer remembered from childhood.
Diana’s Marriage Became Increasingly Difficult
Diana married then-Prince Charles in July 1981. The couple had two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry.
Their marriage later became deeply troubled.
Charles and Diana separated in 1992. Their divorce was finalized in 1996, only a year before Diana’s death.
Spencer’s memoir explores the personal impact of that period through his conversations with Diana.
Among the claims receiving attention are Spencer’s recollections of discussions with Diana about the state of her marriage.
In one account, Spencer says Diana told him that she believed Charles was in love with his valet. The allegation appears as part of Diana’s explanation for her decision to divorce.
The claim is presented as Spencer’s recollection of what his sister told him. It does not independently establish the private circumstances described.
Spencer also writes about the emotional difficulties Diana experienced during her marriage and the pressures surrounding her public role.
Spencer Recalls Diana’s Concerns Before the Divorce
The memoir provides additional insight into how Spencer remembers Diana during the final years of her marriage.
Diana faced intense media attention throughout her royal life. Her separation from Charles increased that scrutiny.
Her private struggles became subjects of international coverage, while photographers followed many aspects of her daily life.
Spencer describes himself as someone who attempted to support Diana during this period.
His account focuses on personal conversations and family experiences rather than presenting a new institutional history of the monarchy.
That distinction is important when reading the memoir. Some events described by Spencer are established historical facts, while private conversations are presented through his recollection.
The Events Surrounding Diana’s Death
Diana died on August 31, 1997, after a car crash in Paris. She was 36.
The death shocked Britain and attracted worldwide attention.
Spencer was in South Africa when he learned that his sister had died.
He later returned to Britain and took a central role in the funeral proceedings.
On September 6, 1997, Spencer delivered Diana’s funeral eulogy at Westminster Abbey.
His speech became one of the most remembered public tributes to Diana.
Nearly 30 years later, he is revisiting that traumatic period in Swan Song.
The memoir includes his memories of the days immediately after Diana’s death and the discussions surrounding her funeral.
Charles Spencer and the Funeral Procession
One of the most controversial subjects in the memoir involves Prince William and Prince Harry.
At the time of Diana’s funeral, William was 15 and Harry was 12.
Spencer recounts his opposition to the idea that the two boys should walk behind their mother’s coffin during the funeral procession.
He says he believed Diana would not have wanted her young sons to endure the intense public attention surrounding the procession.
The boys ultimately did walk behind the coffin alongside their father, their uncle and other members of the family.
Spencer’s account focuses on his disagreement with the decision and the conversations that followed.
Those memories form the setting for one of the memoir’s most disputed allegations.
The Claim That Diana Would Be Forgotten
Spencer says he had a heated conversation with then-Prince Charles about the funeral arrangements.
During that conversation, Spencer recalls Charles telling him, “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.”
The claim has become one of the most widely discussed revelations from the memoir.
It is important to distinguish the nature of the allegation. The statement comes from Spencer’s recollection of a private conversation that occurred nearly three decades ago.
There is no public recording of the conversation establishing the exchange independently.
Buckingham Palace responded after the claim became public.
A palace spokesperson said the King was mindful that grief can affect reason, judgment and memory, including many years after a loss.
The response effectively challenged the reliability of Spencer’s recollection without providing a public reconstruction of the private conversation.
Spencer Also Describes Charles’s Reaction After Diana’s Death
Another section of Swan Song concerns a telephone conversation between Spencer and then-Prince Charles after Diana’s death.
Spencer writes that Charles sounded extremely upbeat during the call.
He describes the tone as being similar to that of someone who had won a lottery.
The account has generated further controversy because it concerns Charles’s private reaction shortly after Diana died.
Spencer connects the memory to his broader description of Charles’s attitude toward Diana during the period surrounding her death.
Buckingham Palace has rejected the characterization associated with these accounts.
The palace response again points to the possibility that grief can affect how people remember emotionally overwhelming events.
The competing accounts mean readers will encounter two distinct perspectives: Spencer’s recollection of what he experienced and the palace’s rejection of the characterization.
A Rare Response From Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace generally does not comment on every book or allegation concerning members of the royal family.
The response to Spencer’s memoir therefore attracted substantial attention.
The palace statement focused specifically on the effects of grief and memory.
It did not provide a detailed account of what happened during the private conversation Spencer describes.
Former royal communications official Julian Payne has also defended Charles’s attitude toward Diana in the years following her death.
Payne has said Charles was emphatic that Diana’s memory should be respected and that he did not recognize the characterization presented in Spencer’s account.
That provides another perspective on the disputed claims surrounding the memoir.
The Book Arrives Ahead of Diana’s 30th Anniversary
The timing of Swan Song is significant.
Diana died in 1997, meaning 2027 will mark 30 years since her death.
Interest in Diana remains strong in Britain and the United States, particularly around major anniversaries and new documentaries, books and archival material.
Spencer’s decision to publish a personal account before the anniversary gives readers a new opportunity to examine Diana’s life through a family member’s memories.
The book also comes nearly three decades after Spencer stood at Westminster Abbey and publicly mourned his sister.
His role in Diana’s story has therefore remained unusually visible.
Why Charles Spencer’s Perspective Continues to Matter
Spencer knew Diana before the royal wedding, during her years as Princess of Wales and during the final period of her life.
That timeline makes his memories different from those of journalists and historians who encountered Diana primarily through public events.
At the same time, his closeness means that the memoir is deeply personal.
Readers will encounter established events alongside Spencer’s memories of conversations and family experiences.
The distinction between documented history and personal recollection is especially important in sections involving King Charles.
The palace has disputed some of Spencer’s descriptions, while the memoir presents them as Spencer remembers them.
What Readers Can Expect From Swan Song
The book covers several major stages of Diana’s life:
- Her childhood with the Spencer family
- Her relationship with Charles Spencer
- Her parents’ divorce and its effect on the family
- Diana’s marriage to Prince Charles
- The breakdown of the royal marriage
- Diana’s relationship with her sons
- Her final years as a member of the royal family
- The events surrounding her death
- The preparations for her funeral
- Spencer’s memories of the aftermath
The memoir is therefore not limited to the controversies currently dominating headlines.
Its broader purpose is to present Spencer’s personal portrait of his sister.
What Is Confirmed About the Current Publication
For U.S. readers following the latest developments, several details are clear.
Swan Song: Diana, My Sister is scheduled for release on September 22, 2026.
Charles Spencer wrote the book as a personal account of his sister.
The memoir covers Diana’s life and death from Spencer’s perspective.
Recent excerpts have included claims about conversations between Spencer and then-Prince Charles.
Buckingham Palace has publicly challenged Spencer’s recollections surrounding Charles’s alleged comments after Diana’s death.
Spencer’s memoir also discusses the funeral procession and the participation of William and Harry.
The book arrives as attention builds toward the 30th anniversary of Diana’s death in 2027.
Charles Spencer’s Continuing Connection to Diana’s Story
Charles Spencer remains one of the people most closely connected to Diana’s private family life.
His latest book brings his memories back into public discussion at a time when interest in Diana continues across generations.
For Americans who remember Diana from the 1980s and 1990s, the memoir offers a new personal account from someone who knew her before and after she became a global figure.
For younger readers, it provides an opportunity to examine Diana through the memories of a member of her immediate family.
The most controversial claims will continue to attract debate because they concern private conversations that took place almost 30 years ago. Spencer has presented his memories in the memoir, while Buckingham Palace has disputed the reliability of those recollections.
What remains firmly established is that Spencer has chosen to tell Diana’s story from the perspective of her brother, adding another personal account to the extensive historical record surrounding the late Princess of Wales.
As Charles Spencer’s memoir reaches U.S. readers, Diana’s story continues to inspire discussion about the woman behind one of the most recognizable royal lives in modern history.