William dragged into Diana book row as Palace hits back at Spencer

William stays silent

Prince William has been dragged into a fresh royal family row following the publication of his uncle Earl Spencer’s explosive memoir about Princess Diana — but it is the extraordinary battle between Spencer and Buckingham Palace that has turned the book into a much bigger story.

William was confronted by reporters as he arrived at a London cinema and was asked how he felt about his uncle’s book, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, and whether he had read it. The Prince of Wales did not answer and has made no public comment on the memoir.

Diana’s death revisited

The book has reopened some of the most painful wounds surrounding Diana’s death in 1997.

Spencer claims that the then-Prince Charles sounded “giddily elated” when he telephoned him after Diana was killed in Paris. He also recounts a furious argument over whether William and Harry should walk behind their mother’s coffin, claiming Charles told him: “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.”

Palace hits back

Those claims prompted an unusually direct response from Buckingham Palace.

A Palace statement said grief between siblings could “cloud” reason, affect judgement and colour memories many years after a loss — a clear rejection of Spencer’s account without directly going through every allegation.

Spencer has since doubled down, saying he stands by his account and accusing the Palace of “gaslighting” him.

Diana’s private struggles

And there is considerably more in the book.

Spencer claims Diana had serious doubts about marrying Charles after discovering he had bought a bracelet for Camilla. He says she told her father she wanted to pull out because she knew Charles did not love her.

He also writes about Diana’s suicidal thoughts, saying she had contemplated “ending it all” at Beachy Head.

Harry dragged back in

Spencer also revisits the aftermath of Diana’s funeral, claiming there was a “lack of obvious care” for 12-year-old Harry and that the young prince was “allowed to spin out of control” after losing his mother.

He says William appeared more composed but that Harry became his principal concern.

Spencer has said he told William and Harry about the book at exactly the same time. According to the Earl, Harry was “completely fine” with it — while William has offered no public response.

And now Piers Morgan

There is another complication. Broadcaster Piers Morgan has threatened legal action over claims made about him in the memoir.

Spencer has already apologised for one factual error, but Morgan says he still intends to pursue the matter.

The bigger story

So this is no longer simply a book about Diana.

Almost 30 years after her death, Swan Song has reopened arguments over her treatment by the Royal Family, dragged William and Harry back into the story and produced one of the rarest sights in modern royal reporting — Buckingham Palace publicly fighting back against the brother of the late Princess of Wales.

AN ORIGINAL

I don't know what more I can say, this picture says it all.