Earl Spencer Claims King Charles Sounded ‘Giddily Elated’ After Diana’s Death

18th August 2026 | News

Earl Spencer, the younger brother of Diana, Princess of Wales, has claimed that King Charles III sounded “giddily elated” when he called after Diana’s death in 1997.

The allegation appears in Spencer’s forthcoming memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, in which he recounts receiving news of the fatal Paris car crash and the calls that followed.

According to excerpts published by the Daily Mail, Spencer said Charles’ tone during their conversation was strikingly different from that of others who contacted him and expressed condolences.

Buckingham Palace has rejected the credibility of the account, while a Palace spokesperson noted that grief can affect how people remember events many years later.

Dickie Arbiter, who served as Queen Elizabeth II’s press secretary when Diana died, also disputed Spencer’s recollection, saying Charles was devastated at the time.

Spencer has previously made other claims about Charles’ reaction to Diana’s death, all based on his personal recollection of events nearly three decades ago.