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Prince William is said to be deeply angered by the allegations contained in his uncle Earl Charles Spencer’s forthcoming memoir, according to a source.
The Prince of Wales is believed to have remained in contact with Princess Diana’s younger brother, but reports suggest the publication of Swan Song has created fresh tension. William is reportedly “beyond furious” about some of the claims his uncle has chosen to make public.
The memoir contains a series of allegations involving the Royal Family and the period surrounding Diana’s death. Among the most controversial is Spencer’s claim that the then-Prince Charles sounded like a “lottery winner” after learning that Diana had died.
Spencer has also alleged that Charles made a remark suggesting Diana would soon be forgotten, a claim that has further intensified the controversy surrounding the book ahead of its release.
Buckingham Palace issued a short response this week in the wake of Earl Spencer’s allegations, saying the King remains “mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory”.
William, meanwhile, has continued with his scheduled royal engagements and has made no public remarks about his uncle’s memoir. Behind the scenes, however, a source has claimed that the Prince of Wales is deeply upset by the renewed scrutiny surrounding some of the most painful events of his childhood.
Speaking to RadarOnline.com, the royal source said: “William is beyond furious that all of this has been dragged into public again. For him, this is not ancient royal history or material for another book – it is his mother, his father and the most traumatic period of his childhood.
“He has spent years wanting Diana’s memory treated with dignity rather than endlessly turned into fresh controversy. The fact that these allegations are now coming from his own uncle makes the situation particularly painful.
“William understands that Charles Spencer has his own memories and his own relationship with Diana. But there is a feeling that publishing claims this incendiary inevitably forces William and Harry back into events they experienced as grieving children, which has led William to become beyond furious over its release.
“The timing has also caused huge anger. The 30th anniversary of Diana’s death is approaching, and instead of allowing her sons to remember her privately, another battle has erupted over who said what during that terrible week.”
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The memoir extends beyond Spencer’s allegations concerning King Charles, also delving into deeply personal and difficult periods of Princess Diana’s life.
In one particularly sensitive passage, Earl Spencer claims that his sister experienced periods of severe emotional distress. According to his account, Diana would sometimes drive to a cliff in Sussex while experiencing thoughts of ending her life.
Spencer says that ultimately it was “her love for her sons” that “stopped her from going further”.
Prince William has not publicly addressed these claims or any of the wider controversy surrounding his uncle’s book.
Instead, the Prince of Wales has continued carrying out his official responsibilities as usual. His engagements this week included appearances in Scotland alongside his wife, Catherine, Princess of Wales.
