Earl Spencer Claims King Charles Sounded 'Giddily Elated' Following Princess Diana's Death

In a series of explosive allegations that have reignited decades-old tensions surrounding the royal family, Earl Spencer has claimed that King Charles III sounded "giddily elated" in the immediate aftermath of Princess Diana's death. The extraordinary accusation forms part of an upcoming memoir by Diana's brother, which offers a deeply personal and critical retrospective on the royal family's conduct surrounding the tragic demise of the late Princess of Wales.

According to Earl Spencer, the then-Prince of Wales exhibited an unexpectedly cheerful demeanor during a telephone conversation conducted shortly after the fatal car accident in Paris in August 1997. In his account, Spencer writes that Charles spoke with a tone reminiscent of a "lottery winner," presenting a striking contrast to the widespread devastation and shock felt across the world following the sudden death of the princess.

The claims have drawn an unusually direct and pointed response from Buckingham Palace, which has strongly pushed back against the credibility of the forthcoming book. A royal spokesperson countered the allegations by suggesting that long-standing emotional trauma can distort personal recollections. The Palace stated that while it generally avoids responding to books as a matter of principle, the King is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment, and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even decades after a tragedy.

The controversial revelations are featured in Earl Spencer's memoir, titled *Swan Song: Diana, My Sister*, which is scheduled for publication next week. Ahead of the complete book being made available, excerpts have been serialized by the Daily Mail, generating renewed scrutiny of the British monarchy's internal relationships during one of its most turbulent historical periods.

In the book's excerpts, Earl Spencer recounts the distressing sequence of events that unfolded on August 31, 1997. He describes being woken in the middle of the night at his home in Cape Town, South Africa, by a telephone call from his sister Jane, who first alerted him that Diana had been involved in a serious car crash in Paris.

As subsequent phone calls confirmed that his sister had not survived the crash, Spencer was contacted directly by Prince Charles. In the memoir, the Earl starkly contrasts Charles's telephone conduct with that of other individuals who reached out to him during those grief-stricken hours. Spencer highlights that whereas other callers were stunned and barely able to articulate their condolences or offers of help, Charles appeared remarkably upbeat.

During that same conversation, Prince Charles reportedly informed the Earl that he had personally broken the news of Diana's death to her young children, Princes William and Harry. According to Spencer's retelling, Charles stated that he had delivered the devastating update to the young princes first thing that morning inside their bedrooms at the royal residence in Balmoral.

This revelation follows an earlier excerpt from the memoir that provoked a sharp rebuttal from royal officials earlier in the week. In that initial section, Spencer alleged that Charles had dismissively remarked of Diana, "We'll forget her soon enough," an assertion that Buckingham Palace firmly rejected when defending the King's reputation in the wake of the Paris tragedy.

The escalating public dispute highlights the deeply personal nature of Spencer's critique of the King and the royal household. While Buckingham Palace has reiterated its firm rejection of Spencer's portrayal of events, representatives for Prince Harry have stated that they do not wish to comment on the claims outlined in the book.

Beyond the immediate hours following Diana's death, the memoir provides a retrospective examination of the royal couple's troubled marriage, which ended in divorce in August 1996. Spencer claims that signs of emotional estrangement emerged even prior to their July 1981 wedding, alleging that a friend of Diana disclosed Charles had admitted he was very happy to marry her but was not actually in love with her.

The Earl reflects that the marriage became very difficult early on, observing that he is confident both spouses despaired of the other at times during their union. These recollections present an unvarnished depiction of a high-profile relationship defined by emotional friction and private heartbreak long before its eventual breakdown.

Spencer also offers a retrospective perspective on his late sister's mental health, expressing his belief that Diana lived with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). He further suggests that she suffered from Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, which he describes as an intense emotional pain triggered by criticism or perceived rejection from others.

In one of the most poignant passages of the book, Spencer writes that Diana contemplated taking her own life on more than one occasion in her later years. However, he emphasizes that her profound and protective love for her two sons ultimately stopped her from acting on those impulses.

The publication of these claims leaves observers questioning how the public will ultimately receive such intimate disclosures nearly thirty years after Diana's death. As senior royals continue their official duties—with the Prince and Princess of Wales visiting Bute and the King opening an AI summit—the public remains divided over whether the book provides a meaningful historical perspective or an inappropriate airing of private familial disputes.