A single sentence from a phone call nearly three decades ago has suddenly become the center of one of the biggest royal controversies in years. According to a new memoir by Earl Spencer, Princess Diana's brother, King Charles made a remark just days after Diana's death that Spencer says he has never forgotten. He claims Charles told him, "Rest assured, we'll forget her soon enough." No recording exists, no witnesses heard the conversation, and only the two men know exactly what was said. That is why the dispute has become so significant.
Two things are important to keep in mind throughout this story. First, Buckingham Palace responded almost immediately, breaking its usual practice of staying silent about books. Second, Spencer's memoir contains another allegation from that same period that has received much less attention but is equally controversial.
The story begins in the days following Diana's death in September 1997. Britain was grieving, and preparations for her funeral were underway. Earl Spencer says he received a phone call from one of Queen Elizabeth II's senior aides informing him that Princes William and Harry would walk behind their mother's coffin during the funeral procession.
Spencer immediately objected. William was only 15 years old, and Harry was just 12. He believed neither child should be expected to take part in such a public and emotional procession.
Soon afterward, the phone rang again. This time it was then-Prince Charles. According to Spencer, Charles argued that he himself had walked behind Lord Mountbatten's coffin in 1979 and believed his sons should do the same. Spencer responded that the situations were completely different. Charles had been an adult of 30 when Lord Mountbatten died, while Harry was only a child mourning his mother.
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The disagreement, Spencer says, became heated. He writes that Charles questioned the Spencer family's sense of duty before pausing. Then, according to Spencer, Charles made the statement that has now dominated headlines, saying Diana would eventually be forgotten.
Whether those exact words were spoken is impossible to independently verify, but Spencer says they remained with him for 29 years before he decided to publish them.
Buckingham Palace responded later that same day. Its statement did not directly deny the conversation or quote Spencer's account. Instead, it said that grief can cloud reason, affect judgment, and influence memory, even many years after a painful loss.
The wording attracted immediate attention because it challenged Spencer's recollection rather than specifically disputing the alleged quote. Many commentators interpreted the statement as questioning the reliability of Spencer's memory while avoiding a detailed argument over what happened during the call.
That unusual response surprised royal observers because the palace has traditionally refused to comment on memoirs and biographies involving the Royal Family. This time, however, it chose to issue a public statement within hours.
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Afterward, people described as friends of the King offered another defense. They insisted the alleged remark did not fit Charles's personality or behavior during that difficult week. They described him as devastated by Diana's death and struggling emotionally with the events unfolding around him.
Supporters of Charles also pointed to his role in Diana's funeral arrangements. They argued that he supported giving Diana a grand ceremonial funeral and wanted her coffin returned from Paris draped in the Royal Standard. In their view, those actions do not match the image of someone hoping Diana would be forgotten.
However, some royal journalists have argued that the decision for such a public funeral involved discussions with Prime Minister Tony Blair as well as the Royal Family, meaning responsibility for those arrangements is still debated.
Earl Spencer's position in this story is unique. He is not an anonymous source or former palace employee. He is Diana's brother and the head of the Spencer family. He also delivered one of the most memorable speeches at Diana's funeral in Westminster Abbey, promising that her family would help protect William and Harry.
Because of that history, his accusations carry emotional weight even though they remain his personal recollection.
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Another version of events has also been shared by royal biographer Angela Levin. She says both Charles and Earl Spencer wanted to walk behind Diana's coffin themselves. According to her account, Prince Philip worried tensions between them might become visible during the procession, so he decided to walk alongside them.
Levin also says William and Harry believed they should walk behind their mother, rather than being forced into it. She recalls Harry later describing how difficult it was to hear strangers crying for his mother while he was trying to control his own emotions.
These accounts do not necessarily cancel each other out. Both men could have argued privately while later agreeing on funeral arrangements. Grief often brings conflicting emotions and decisions.
The controversy has also drawn attention because William and Harry reportedly learned about Spencer's claims only when the newspaper extracts became public. Reports say Spencer did not warn either nephew before publication.
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That detail matters because the book discusses one of the most painful moments in both princes' lives. It revisits their mother's death, their father's actions, and the funeral procession they experienced as children.
Former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond described the situation as deeply sad, saying the public dispute could only reopen old wounds for William and Harry, who have close ties to both their father and their uncle.
One surprising detail came after the palace statement. Many expected Earl Spencer to respond publicly. Instead, he remained silent, posting only a photograph of a peacock on social media without addressing the controversy.
While headlines focused on the book, senior members of the Royal Family continued their public engagements. King Charles kept to his schedule, and the Prince and Princess of Wales carried out official visits without mentioning the allegations.
Finally, Spencer's memoir includes another claim that has received less attention. He writes that when Charles called him after Diana's death, he sounded unusually cheerful or "giddily elated." Unlike an alleged quote, this is a description of tone rather than words, making it impossible to verify through any transcript or recording.
The palace statement addressed memory and grief but did not specifically respond to that description. As a result, the disagreement remains unresolved.
For now, there are still only two people who know exactly what happened during that phone call in 1997. Spencer has published his version after nearly three decades of silence, while Buckingham Palace has challenged the reliability of that memory without directly denying every detail. As more excerpts from the memoir appear before its release, this long-running family disagreement is once again becoming a very public royal story.
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