Earl Spencer Accuses King Charles of Giddy Call After Diana's 1997 Death

Earl Spencer has released a memoir that claims the then‑Prince Charles sounded 'giddy' when he called after Diana’s death in Paris on 31 August 1997, and that he fat‑shamed her. The book, titled 'Swan Song: Diana, My Sister', was serialized earlier this month, drawing on Spencer’s recollections of his sister’s life, marriage and death. Spencer says he was in Cape Town with his children when he learned of the crash, and that Charles’s voice, according to him, “sounded giddily elated — like a lottery winner” after the news was confirmed.

The memoir also alleges that shortly after their engagement, Charles squeezed Diana’s waist and remarked, ‘Oh, a bit chubby here, aren’t we?’ The comment, Spencer says, devastated her, prompting her to tell a friend that her waist shrank from 29 inches to 23½ inches between the engagement and the wedding. He further claims that Charles told Diana he was happy to marry her but was not truly in love, a confession he says Diana shared with a confidant.

Buckingham Palace responded by stressing that grief can distort memory, saying the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason and colour memory. A Palace spokesperson said the royal family does not comment on books as a matter of principle, but noted that Charles was mindful of how grief may affect judgment.

Spencer also recounts an exchange when he objected to William and Harry walking behind their mother’s coffin; he says Charles became angry and warned, ‘Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough!’ The allegation, if true, would add a new layer to the narrative surrounding Diana’s funeral arrangements.

The memoir, serialized earlier this month, is slated for full publication in December, and the royal family’s response will likely be issued as the book draws wider public attention.