Charles Spencer, the younger brother of the late Princess Diana, has said that Prince Harry had no involvement in the preparation of his memoirs “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister“.
The 62-year-old 9th Earl Spencer told journalist Gayle King on the “CBS Mornings“ show that he kept the work on the book a secret even from the closest family members.
“Nobody knew about it except my wife, Kat Jarman, and the publishers. "I didn't tell anyone in the family until almost the moment the book was released," Charles Spencer said.
He said the decision was deliberate. He didn't want to give the impression that any of the family had been involved in writing the memoir, specifically naming Princess Diana's younger son.
Harry and William's Reactions
The Duke of Sussex, his wife Meghan Markle and their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, visited Charles Spencer at the family estate of Althorp in July. At the time, former military pilot Prince Harry was still unaware of the upcoming book.
According to Charles Spencer, his nephew's first reaction was to ask if there was anything in the memoir that might embarrass him. Earl Spencer has categorically denied invading Prince Harry's privacy. He did not seek prior approval from either him or his older brother Prince William.
In a separate interview with People magazine, Charles Spencer explained that he informed both brothers at around the same time. They appear in the book mainly as “two little boys who had a most extraordinary mother“, without, according to the author, revealing sensitive details of their personal lives.
“I can say that Harry is completely relaxed about the book“, said Charles Spencer.
Neither Prince Harry nor Crown Prince William have commented publicly on the memoirs.
Controversial claims about King Charles III
One of the most commented parts of “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister“ concerns King Charles III's reaction to Princess Diana's death in a car crash in Paris in August 1997.
Charles Spencer claims that the then Prince Charles displayed what he perceived as unusual behavior during a conversation between the two after the tragedy. According to Earl Spencer, the future monarch also said that public interest in Diana would soon fade.
King Charles III denies this version of events. A position paper quoted in connection with the book states that intense grief after the loss of a loved one can affect the way conversations and events are remembered. In front of Gayle King, Charles Spencer rejected this explanation and insisted that he clearly remembered the conversation.
“I know what I heard. I've only had two phone calls with the man who is now king, so I'm sure“, he said. He said he had told other people about the conversation in 1997, including American television journalist Barbara Walters.
Charles Spencer described the royal reaction as an attempt at manipulation, claiming that he had no problem with his memory or perceptions.
The new memoirs put the relationship between the Spencer family and the British royal family back in the public eye nearly three decades after the death of Princess Diana. The book is being released at a time when information is emerging about a possible documentary project dedicated to the 30th anniversary of her death in 2027, with which Prince Harry has been linked.