Charles Spencer, the brother of the late Princess Diana, declined to answer a question about his nephew Prince Harry’s ongoing estrangement from the British royal family during a new interview published Monday in People.
Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer, was asked during the cover story sitdown about Harry’s 2023 memoir, “Spare,” in which the Duke of Sussex detailed strained relationships with several royal family members. Harry has since reconciled with his father, King Charles, on multiple occasions, but he and his brother, Prince William, remain estranged and are not on speaking terms.
When the reporter raised the estrangement, Spencer sidestepped the topic outright. “Is it all right if we don’t do too much Harry stuff?” he asked. When the reporter agreed to move on, Spencer thanked them.
Elsewhere in the conversation, Spencer, 62, discussed his own forthcoming memoir, “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister,” which publishes Tuesday. He said Harry’s reaction upon learning of the book was to joke that he hoped there was “nothing embarrassing about him” in it.
“I told [him and William] at the same time, and all I would say is one was… I can say that Harry is completely fine about it,” Spencer said, without detailing William’s response. “I think they were actually worried where I was going up to with the book. … I think it’s natural that people so in the public eye are concerned how they will come across in the book.”
Spencer said he reassured both brothers that he had not compromised their privacy, describing their portrayal in the book as simply “examples of two little boys who had the most exceptional mother.”
It is unclear when the conversation with the brothers took place. Harry last visited Spencer at his Althorp estate in July and has since moved back to England with his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two children.
Book Excerpts Target King Charles
Excerpts from Spencer’s memoir have included pointed claims about King Charles’s alleged reaction to Diana’s fatal car crash in August 1997, describing him as “elated.” Spencer acknowledged it “was a concern” that Harry, 42, and William, 44, would be troubled by his accounts involving their father.
“I don’t want this to sound loaded, but there was an awful lot I could have put in and I didn’t. If I wanted to write a scandalous book about Prince Charles or King Charles as he is now, it would really be a jaw-dropper, but I’m not here to do that.”
It was previously reported that the allegations did not come as a shock to Harry, who had been informed of the book’s contents ahead of publication. William has not publicly commented on the memoir.
Buckingham Palace issued a response last week on behalf of King Charles. A palace spokesperson wrote: “His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and color memory in ways others do not recognize, even many years after such a loss.”
