Charles Spencer reveals new details about the life of his sister Princess Diana, her relationship with Mohammed Al Fayed and the tension with King Charles III in the memoirs “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister“. The book, published on September 22, caused an unusually sharp reaction from Buckingham Palace and once again put the spotlight on the last years of the Princess of Wales's life.
62-year-old Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, a historian and Diana's younger brother, describes their childhood, her marriage to the then Prince Charles, her relationship with the royal family and the chaotic days after her death in Paris on August 31, 1997. The publisher Penguin presents the 384-page book as the story of Diana's life and death, told from the perspective of her brother.
Among the most serious allegations is the story of alleged sexual assault by the late Egyptian billionaire and former owner of Harrods, Mohamed Al Fayed, whose son Dodi Al Fayed was Princess Diana's last partner.
According to Charles Spencer, his sister personally told him that early in his relationship with Dodi, Mohamed Al Fayed approached her and touched her intimately without her consent. The earl writes that Diana told him what had happened “with disgust”. He also cited a vulgar remark that she said Al Fayed made about his role as future father-in-law.
The revelation takes on added weight because of the wide-ranging investigation into Mohamed Al Fayed following his death in 2023. London's Metropolitan Police reported in March 2026 that 154 alleged victims had come forward, including allegations of sexual assault, rape, sexual exploitation and human trafficking. The police are also investigating individuals who may have aided or abetted the alleged crimes. Four people have been questioned under caution, but no arrests have been made at the time of the report.
Spencer also makes serious accusations against King Charles III
The other part of the memoir, which caused a serious resonance in Britain, concerns the behavior of the current King Charles III after the death of his ex-wife.
Charles Spencer claims that during a telephone conversation immediately after the crash, the then Prince of Wales sounded unusually upbeat. In the book, the earl describes his voice as “ecstatic, like a man who has won the lottery“, while Charles informed him that he had already told Prince William and Prince Harry about their mother's death. This is Spencer's personal memory and interpretation, which the palace disputes.
Even more serious is his account of the ensuing controversy over Princess Diana's funeral.According to Charles Spencer, he insisted that Prince William, then 15, and Prince Harry, then 12, not be forced to walk behind their mother's coffin.
Spencer claims that during a heated telephone conversation, the then Prince Charles reacted angrily and at one point told him that Diana would soon be forgotten.It was this statement that provoked a rare public reaction from Buckingham Palace.
The palace said that it generally does not comment on books, but noted that intense grief can affect a person's judgment and memories even many years after a tragic event. Thus, the institution did not confirm Charles Spencer's version and clearly questioned his reading of the conversation.
Spencer himself continues to defend his memories. In subsequent interviews, he stated that his goal is to present his own version of his sister and to correct what he believes are incorrect ideas about her life that have accumulated over the years.
The memoirs have already become a publishing success. “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister“ reached the first place on the The New York Times bestseller list, which shows that almost 30 years after Princess Diana's death, interest in her life and her relationship with the British royal family remains enormous.