Charles Spencer Kept Diana Memoir Secret From Prince Harry Until Days Before Release
Earl Charles Spencer did not tell Prince Harry he was writing a book about Diana, Princess of Wales.
Speaking to CBS host Gayle King, Spencer said only his wife and his publishers knew about the project before the wider family was told, just before it became public. Hello Magazine
He said he stayed quiet for a practical reason. Prince Harry had spent time at Althorp, the Spencer family home in Northamptonshire, over the summer. Spencer said he did not want Harry to be seen as involved in the book.
Harry's first question, once he heard about it, was direct. "Is there anything in there that would be embarrassing to me?"
Spencer said he replied: "Absolutely not." He added that he is very specific about people's privacy.
King then asked whether Prince William and Prince Harry approve of the book now they know it exists. Spencer said he had not asked about approval and did not know.
The book is Swan Song: Diana, My Sister. It was published on 22 September 2026 by Penguin Press in the United States, and is Spencer's first book devoted to his sister. The Althorp Estate website describes it as his most intimate, loving and honest portrait yet, telling the story of his life with Diana and the week of her death.
Sales have been strong. It became the UK's bestselling hardback non-fiction book of 2026 so far, with 102,668 copies sold. Hello Magazine
Spencer said he told Prince William and Prince Harry about the memoir at exactly the same time. He has since said he has been in touch with both nephews since publication. Both princes avoided answering reporters' questions about the book when asked in public. People
Spencer also said he had invited Prince Harry, Meghan Markle and their children Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to stay at Althorp over the summer. He discussed the visit on the British TV show Lorraine on 23 September.
The memoir includes an account of a phone conversation with the then Prince Charles shortly after Diana's death on 31 August 1997. The book accuses King Charles III of telling Spencer in the wake of her death that "we'll forget her soon". BBC
Buckingham Palace responded with a statement saying "His Majesty is mindful that fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory."
Spencer rejected that account when King put it to him. He said the Palace has to pretend there is something wrong with his mind or memory, and that there is nothing wrong with either.
For readers picking this up, the dispute sits alongside a family history still on display. Althorp has been home to the Spencer family for more than 500 years. The house is currently closed to visitors and says it looks forward to welcoming visitors in 2027.
