'King Charles Gaslit Me': War Of Words Erupts Between Princess Diana's Brother & Buckingham Palace

News world 'King Charles Gaslit Me': War Of Words Erupts Between Princess Diana's Brother & Buckingham Palace

'King Charles Gaslit Me': War Of Words Erupts Between Princess Diana's Brother & Buckingham Palace

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Last Updated: September 20, 2026, 16:59 IST

The remarks followed an unusual statement from Buckingham Palace responding to claims made in excerpts from Spencer’s book.

3 Quick Answers

Charles Spencer, Diana's brother, her two sons Harry and William, and her former husband then-Prince Charles arrive at Westminster Abbey in London to attend her funeral ceremony on September 6, 1997. (AFP photo)

Charles Spencer, the younger brother of Princess Diana, has accused King Charles III of “gaslighting" him after Buckingham Palace questioned his recollection of events surrounding Diana’s death.

Spencer’s comments came days before the release of his memoir, Swan Song, which is due to be published on Tuesday. Speaking to the Mail on Sunday, he said, “It is not every day you wake up to find you’ve been gaslit by the King."

Princess Diana’s Brother Hits Back At Palace

The remarks followed an unusual statement from Buckingham Palace responding to claims made in excerpts from Spencer’s book. A Palace spokesperson said the King “is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgement and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss."

What Led To War Of Words?

The statement came after the Daily Mail published excerpts in which Spencer claimed that Charles, then the Prince of Wales, spoke to him by phone following Diana’s death in 1997 and said, “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough."

Spencer alleged that Charles “sounded dizzily elated — like a lottery winner" during the conversation.

The 62-year-old aristocrat described the Palace’s response as “astonishingly provocative and below the belt because it was essentially trying to say I’d lied without the King being able to deny what I’d said".

He also compared the wording to the Palace’s response to allegations of racism made by Prince Harry and Meghan during their 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, referring to it as a “rather poor imitation" of the statement that “recollections may vary".

Spencer, a former US television journalist and author, inherited the family estate where Diana was buried. Following her death, he criticised the media and pledged at her funeral to protect her sons, William and Harry.

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Quick Answers Powered by Ask News18 What did Charles Spencer claim King Charles said to him after Princess Diana's death? Charles Spencer alleged that during a phone call following Princess Diana's death in 1997, the then-Prince Charles sounded giddily elated and stated, "Rest assured, we'll forget her soon enough." How did Buckingham Palace respond to Charles Spencer's memoir claims? Buckingham Palace issued an unusual statement addressing the book's excerpts, noting that the King is mindful that "the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise." What disagreement did Charles Spencer and the then-Prince Charles have regarding Diana's funeral? Charles Spencer strongly objected to young Princes William and Harry participating in the funeral procession, arguing Diana would not have wanted them to do so, which led to a heated phone exchange with Charles. Powered by Ask News18

About the Author Manisha Roy Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manish... Read More

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First Published: September 20, 2026, 16:59 IST

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