On Sunday, the BBC broadcast a segment in which Earl Charles Spencer, the late Princess Diana’s surviving brother, urged caution over the press’s treatment of Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan Markle. He argued that the invasive coverage mirrors the relentless paparazzi that followed Diana in the months before her fatal 1997 crash in Paris. Spencer said the “cancerous influence” of media scrutiny had been underestimated for decades.
During the interview, Spencer criticized tabloids for publishing intimate details that “destroyed lives daily.” He added that the couple’s decision to step back from royal duties in 2020 and relocate to the United States was a direct response to the toxic environment created by relentless reporting. He urged the public to “learn from Diana’s example” rather than repeat the same mistakes.
The comments come after Spencer’s book, “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister,” was serialized in the Daily Mail. In the book, he alleges that King Charles III was “giddily elated” in the hours after Diana’s death, a claim that the palace has rebutted by stating that grief can cloud judgment. The book’s release reignited debate over the royal family’s role in Diana’s life and death.
Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan have returned to Britain after a successful legal campaign against several British tabloids. Their homecoming coincides with King Charles III’s ongoing battle with cancer, adding further strain to the royal household. The public now watches how the monarchy will address the legacy of media intrusion while navigating the king’s health crisis.