King Charles Allegedly Told Diana’s Brother ‘We’ll Forget Her Soon Enough’ After Her Death, Memoir Claims

King Charles allegedly told Princess Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer, that “we’ll forget her soon enough” in a heated phone conversation following Diana’s death in 1997, according to Spencer’s forthcoming memoir Swan Song: Diana, My Sister. The claim has prompted a rare response from Buckingham Palace, which suggested that grief can affect memory and judgement years after a loss.

What Charles Spencer Claims About The Phone Call

In an excerpt from Swan Song, Spencer recalls a tense exchange with the then-Prince Charles over arrangements for Diana’s funeral.

Spencer says he objected to Princes William and Harry walking behind their mother’s coffin during the funeral procession. William was 15 and Harry was 12 at the time.

According to Spencer’s account, the disagreement led to a heated phone call with Charles. He claims the conversation became increasingly angry before Charles allegedly said: “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.”

Spencer writes that he was stunned by the remark and told Charles he could not believe he had said it before ending the call. The account is Spencer’s recollection of a private conversation nearly three decades ago and has not been independently established.

Why William And Harry Walking Behind Diana’s Coffin Became A Point Of Dispute

Diana died in a car crash in Paris on August 31, 1997, aged 36. Her funeral at Westminster Abbey took place on September 6, with William and Harry walking behind their mother’s coffin alongside other members of the family.

Spencer has previously spoken about his concerns over the young princes taking part in the public procession, particularly Harry because of his age.

William later described the decision to participate in the 2017 BBC documentary Diana, 7 Days as a collective family decision. Harry also discussed the experience in his 2023 memoir Spare.

Buckingham Palace Responds To The Claim

Buckingham Palace normally does not comment on books, but issued a statement following reports of Spencer’s allegation.

A palace spokesperson said the King was mindful that “the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgement and colour memory” even many years after a loss.

The statement did not directly confirm or deny whether Charles made the alleged remark. Instead, it raised the possibility that grief could have influenced how the private conversation was remembered.

Neither Prince William nor Prince Harry has publicly responded to Spencer’s latest account.

Charles Spencer’s Memoir On Diana

Swan Song: Diana, My Sister is scheduled for publication on September 22, 2026. The book presents Diana’s life and death from the perspective of her younger brother and marks the first time Spencer has spoken at length about his sister in book form.

Spencer has said the approaching 30th anniversary of Diana’s death prompted him to put his own memories on record. He has described the memoir as an attempt to tell the story of Diana from her brother’s perspective.

The book is expected to revisit Diana’s childhood, her marriage to Charles, the final period of her life and the events surrounding her death.

Reports have also said that copies of the unreleased memoir were stolen from a delivery truck in the Netherlands ahead of publication.

The latest allegation has once again brought the difficult relationship between Diana, Charles and her family back into focus, almost 30 years after the Princess of Wales died.