Spencer tells CBS he is “absolutely not bitter” and that his book “would be more bitter” if he were
Charles SpencerAuthor of “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister” and brother of Diana, Princess of Wales, interviewed by CBS News
Asked by CBS News whether he is bitter, Charles Spencer said he is “absolutely not bitter” and that if he were, his book “would be more bitter.” Asked whether he has a relationship with King Charles, he said he does not, that the relationship ended, and that “he’s still my king. I respect the crown and that’s it.”
“No, I'm absolutely not bitter. I can tell you, if I was bitter, this book would be more bitter.”
Original video
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
The closing minutes of CBS News' extended interview with Charles Spencer, in which he is asked whether he is bitter and whether he has a relationship with King Charles.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Charles Spencer says he is not bitter, in an extended CBS News interview, Sept. 20, 2026.
Excerpt from 22:58 to 23:24 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: 23:14-23:20)
Before the quotation
Spencer had just said that he does not follow the royal family: “I'm not interested in the royal family.”
After the quotation
Spencer said of his relationship with Charles: “he came into my life as a brother-in-law and that relationship ended. And so, you know, he's still my king. I respect the crown and that's it.” Dickie Arbiter, on GB News, said Spencer “really has got an axe to grind.”
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 rejects a characterization of his motive, that the book is driven by bitterness, rather than addressing the accuracy of his account. It is recorded because motive is a live element of the dispute, with critics such as Arbiter attributing an axe to grind and a financial motive. The closest competing label is condemns, which loses because he expresses no judgment of Charles in this answer.
- 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 “reporting that’s the fact,” not “justifying or criticizing”
“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”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
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- Spencer tells CBS he is “absolutely not bitter” and that his book “would be more bitter” if he were
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The Dispute Index. "Spencer tells CBS he is “absolutely not bitter” and that his book “would be more bitter” if he were". First published: 2026-09-21. Last updated: 2026-09-22. https://disputeindex.com/events/1337-asked-by-cbs-news-whether-he-is-bitter