Spencer denies trying to discredit Charles
Charles SpencerAuthor of Swan Song, interviewed by CTV Your Morning
Charles Spencer rejected criticism that including Diana's alleged valet comment was meant to discredit Charles. He said material about others was relevant to Diana's story.
“At no point am I looking to discredit anyone.”
Interview
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
Interview
About this source
CTV Your Morning interview with Anne-Marie Mediwake, airing October 2. Private conversations are Spencer's recollections.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
The interview discussed criticism of the memoir's account of Diana's marital difficulties.
After the quotation
Spencer described the book as a celebration of Diana. The reported private exchange remains uncorroborated.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
He rejects the claim that he intended to discredit Charles.
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More from this case
Read the full caseSpencer 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 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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The Dispute Index. "Spencer denies trying to discredit Charles". First published: 2026-10-09. Last updated: 2026-10-09. https://disputeindex.com/events/5292-charles-spencer-rejected-criticism-that-including-diana-s