Buckingham Palace hits back over claims made in Earl Spencer book

Buckingham Palace has hit back at claims made in an upcoming book written by Diana's brother Earl Spencer.

The book claims in the days after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, then-Prince Charles told her brother "rest assured, we'll forget her soon enough".

The comment was allegedly made during the arrangements for Diana's funeral where Prince William and Prince Harry, then aged 15 and 12, would walk in their mother's funeral procession in September 1997.

In response to the claims, a Buckingham Palace spokesman said Charles is "mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason".

"While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss," the statement adds.

The allegations were made in the book Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, which is being serialised in the Daily Mail - and is due to be published next week.

The book also claims the Earl insisted Diana would not have wanted her young sons to have made the difficult public walk.

Sky News' royal correspondent Laura Bundock described the statement from Buckingham Palace as a "really remarkable intervention" and a "very robust response" which is "beyond punchy".

"It is, as they say very unusual for them to make any comment about a book. They normally do not comment on books," she added.

Bundock noted Buckingham Palace didn't respond to Prince Harry's book Spare.

"This is a very different situation, [I think] at this point they feel they simply cannot stay silent given who has written the book, Diana's brother, given the subject of the book, Diana herself, and given the allegations made," Bundock added.

Princess Diana died in a Paris car crash in August 1997.

(c) Sky News 2026: Buckingham Palace hits back over claims made in Earl Spencer book