King Charles Responds to Earl Spencer's Claims About Princess Diana
The Facts
Earl Spencer, brother of the late Princess Diana, has claimed in his forthcoming memoir that King Charles told him days after Diana's death in 1997 that 'we'll forget her soon enough.' Buckingham Palace issued a response to the claims, stating that grief can 'colour memory' of events. The claims were first published by the Daily Mail ahead of the memoir's release.
How different outlets are framing this
The outlets largely agree on the core facts but differ in how they contextualise the Palace's response. BBC News and ABC News Australia treat the Palace's statement in relatively neutral terms, with ABC describing it as an 'unusual step' and focusing on the practical content of the rebuttal. Neither outlet dwells heavily on the rarity of the royal response itself, keeping the framing measured and institutional.
Fox News places the greatest emphasis on the extraordinary nature of the Palace's reaction, describing it as a breach of 'royal protocol' and labelling Spencer's claims 'explosive.' This framing amplifies the drama and conflict between the two parties, casting the story as a significant rupture in royal norms rather than a routine dispute. CNN's coverage is more factual and restrained by comparison, foregrounding Spencer's specific allegation and sourcing it carefully to the Daily Mail extract, without leaning heavily into either the Palace's rebuttal or the protocol angle.
Notably, none of the outlets substantially scrutinise the credibility of Spencer's claim or the Palace's counter-narrative — they largely report both sides without independent verification. The British outlet, BBC News, leads with Spencer's claim in its headline while still including the Palace's pushback, whereas the US and Australian outlets vary in how prominently they feature the royal response. The story's framing across regions reflects differing audience appetites: UK and Australian coverage tends toward institutional tone, while US outlets, particularly Fox News, lean into the sensational and conflictual dimensions of the story.
Source Articles
- Fox News16 Sept, 22:22King Charles responds to Charles Spencer's claims about Princess Diana in a rare statement
King Charles broke royal protocol with a rare palace statement responding to Charles Spencer's explosive claims in his upcoming memoir "Swan Song."
- ABC News AU16 Sept, 20:33Palace hits back over Charles Spencer's claim about Princess Diana
King Charles has taken the unusual step of responding to criticism from the brother of his late first wife, Diana, saying through a spokesperson that grief can affect reason, judgement, and memory.
- CNN16 Sept, 20:13Princess Diana’s brother claims Charles said she would be forgotten ‘soon enough’ just days after her death
The brother of the late Princess Diana, Charles Spencer, has claimed in his forthcoming memoir that King Charles told him days after her death that “we’ll forget her soon enough,” according to an extract published on Wednesday by the Daily Mail.
- BBC News16 Sept, 17:52Charles said Diana would be forgotten 'soon enough', Earl Spencer claims in book
Buckingham Palace has pushed back against the claim, saying grief can "colour memory" of events.