Key facts
- Earl Spencer claims King Charles III sounded "giddily elated" and like a "lottery winner" after Princess Diana's death.
- Buckingham Palace disputed Earl Spencer's account of a conversation with King Charles III following Diana's death.
- The Royal Family faced a reputational disaster in 1997, perceived as out of touch and lacking empathy after Diana's death.
- Royal author Valentine Low recalled the public's strong reaction to Earl Spencer's eulogy at Diana's funeral.
- The late Queen Elizabeth II made a televised address acknowledging the difficulty of expressing grief.
- Prince Harry's memoir 'Spare' details his sense of loss and distress at walking behind his mother's coffin.
Earl Spencer is defending his claims about King Charles III's reaction to Princess Diana's death, stating he is "telling the truth." Spencer alleges that Charles sounded "giddily elated" and like a "lottery winner" after Diana's passing in 1997, and that he had to explain her death to his sons.
Buckingham Palace has pushed back against Spencer's account, stating that the conversation did not happen as described and that "the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways that others do not recognise." Royal author Valentine Low noted the volatile public mood following Diana's death, with many perceiving the Royal Family as out of touch and unpopular.
Low recalled the extraordinary public reaction to Earl Spencer's eulogy at Diana's funeral, with applause from outside Westminster Abbey penetrating the building. The late Queen Elizabeth II eventually addressed the nation, acknowledging the complex emotions associated with grief. Prince Harry's memoir, 'Spare,' also touches on the trauma of his mother's death and the decision for the princes to walk behind her coffin, referencing Earl Spencer's opposition to the procession.