Spencer tells CBS he is “reporting that’s the fact,” not “justifying or criticizing”
Charles SpencerAuthor of “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister” and brother of Diana, Princess of Wales, interviewed by CBS News
Asked by CBS News what he meant by describing Charles as “giddy” in their call after Diana’s death, Charles Spencer said Charles “sounded excited in a sort of upbeat way.” Asked whether that was right after she had been killed, he said “Yes,” adding that he is “not justifying or criticizing” but “reporting that’s the fact.” Asked about his suggestion that Charles felt free to pursue Camilla, he said he had written that it “might have been it” but that he “can’t say what he was thinking.”
“He sounded excited in a sort of upbeat way. … Yes, and obviously I'm not justifying or criticizing. I'm reporting that's the fact. … I said in the book that that might have been it, yeah, but that's obviously … I can't say what he was thinking”
Original video
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Earl Spencer's memoir claims about King Charles's reaction to Diana's death
In his memoir "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister," serialised from September 2026, Charles Spencer makes a series of claims about how the then Prince Charles behaved towards him after Diana's death in 1997. He writes that Charles told him by phone, "Rest assured, we'll forget her soon enough," and, in later excerpts, that Charles sounded "giddily elated – like a lottery winner" during the call and that he now suspects Charles was weighing how the death might free him to marry Camilla. Buckingham Palace, in a rare on-record statement, did not directly confirm or deny the quotation, saying instead that "the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory," and declined to respond again to the later claims. The dispute is whether Spencer's account of Charles's words and demeanour is accurate.
Source and context
Original video
About this source
CBS News' 25:50 extended interview with Charles Spencer about his memoir Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, published September 20, 2026 alongside the CBS Sunday Morning broadcast. This passage concerns his account that Charles sounded upbeat during their phone call after Diana's death.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Charles Spencer discusses Princess Diana in an extended CBS News interview, Sept. 20, 2026.
Excerpt from 6:02 to 6:48 of the CBS News video. DI added its logo in the corner.
Video: CBS News. Excerpt used for news reporting and commentary
Watch the full original video (opens in a new tab) (relevant passage: 06:05-06:45)
Reporting
About this source
CBS News' report previewing the interview, which quotes Spencer saying he is “not justifying or criticizing” and that Charles's attitude may have reflected feeling free to pursue Camilla.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The interviewer noted that Spencer had said Charles seemed unsympathetic when he called to discuss funeral arrangements and had used the word “giddy.” Spencer’s memoir excerpts say Charles “sounded giddily elated – like a lottery winner.”
After the quotation
The interviewer went on to ask about Princes William and Harry walking behind Diana’s coffin. In a separate interview with the BBC, Spencer also said he could not be sure of Charles’s thinking.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
On whether Spencer’s account of Charles’s words and demeanour after Diana’s death is accurate, Spencer reaffirms his observation that Charles sounded upbeat, presenting it as a reported fact, while disclaiming both judgment of it and certainty about Charles’s motive. That combination is mixed rather than a condemnation of the conduct, and is consistent in direction with his BBC answer that he could not be sure what Charles was thinking. The closest competing label is condemns, which loses because in this exchange he expressly says he is not criticizing.
- Recorded on
- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- King Charles III
More from this case
Read the full caseSpencer denies trying to discredit Charles
“At no point am I looking to discredit anyone.”Read statement
Spencer tells CBS he is “absolutely not bitter” and that his book “would be more bitter” if he were
“No, I'm absolutely not bitter. I can tell you, if I was bitter, this book would be more bitter.”Read statement
Spencer says his inference about Charles’s motive is not certain
“I cannot be sure, I'm saying that's what I assume from the tone is a possibility.”Read statement
Share or embed this statement
The embed keeps its attribution link to The Dispute Index. Credit the image to The Dispute Index and link to the statement page.
Cite this record
- Publisher
- The Dispute Index
- Title
- Spencer tells CBS he is “reporting that’s the fact,” not “justifying or criticizing”
- First published
- Last updated
- Permalink
- https://disputeindex.com/events/1336-asked-by-cbs-news-what-he-meant-by
Last updated marks the most recent saved version of this published statement.
The Dispute Index. "Spencer tells CBS he is “reporting that’s the fact,” not “justifying or criticizing”". First published: 2026-09-21. Last updated: 2026-09-22. https://disputeindex.com/events/1336-asked-by-cbs-news-what-he-meant-by