Charles Spencer's New Book Stirs Tensions Within the British Royal Family

Prince William is facing renewed family tension after his uncle, Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer, published a memoir titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister. In the book, Spencer says he opposed King Charles III’s request that William and Prince Harry walk behind Princess Diana’s coffin during her 1997 funeral, but his objections were overruled and the princes participated in the procession.

Royal commentator Kinsey Schofield told Page Six that William may feel a sense of betrayal because the criticism comes from a close family member. She added that the book revisits private conversations from the funeral and includes allegations about the current king, which could affect the institution William is expected to inherit.

Schofield also noted that William has previously tried to set boundaries around his mother’s memory and limit the commercial use of her story. She said sources indicate both William and King Charles are frustrated, though for different reasons: the king views the memoir as a character attack, while he has long been portrayed as a villain in narratives about Diana.

Royal journalist Tom Sykes reported that Prince Harry may be seeking Spencer’s cooperation for a documentary about Diana, suggesting that Spencer’s involvement could lend credibility to the project.

The brothers, William and Harry, have not reconciled since their public disagreement in 2020 over Harry and Meghan Markle’s departure from royal duties. Harry and Meghan recently returned to the United Kingdom after six years in the United States, but no public meeting between the siblings has been reported.

Page Six has contacted representatives for Prince William for comment.