Buckingham Palace has responded to allegations made by Earl Spencer, the younger brother of the late Princess Diana, about comments King Charles III allegedly made in the days following Diana’s death in 1997.
The claims center on conversations that took place as royal family members discussed funeral arrangements after Princess Diana died in a car crash in Paris. According to Earl Spencer, he objected to plans for Princes William and Harry — who were 15 and 12 years old at the time — to walk behind their mother’s coffin during the funeral procession.
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Spencer has said he believed Diana would not have wanted her sons to take part in the procession in that way. However, the plans moved forward, and both princes ultimately walked behind the coffin during the televised funeral service watched around the world.
Spencer also alleged that Prince Charles later called him and said, “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.”
Buckingham Palace did not directly deny the allegation but questioned the reliability of Spencer’s recollection in a statement responding to the claims.
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“While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty the King is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment, and color memories in ways others do not recognize even many years after such a loss,” the palace said.
The comments come amid renewed public discussion about the royal family and Princess Diana’s legacy nearly three decades after her death.
