Royal family news live: War of words breaks out over Earl Spencer’s claims about Charles and Diana in new book

A war of words has erupted between Buckingham Palace and Princess Diana ’s brother Earl Spencer over bombshell claims made in his upcoming memoir.

The book, which is set to be serialised in the Daily Mail , alleges that in the days after Diana’s death , King Charles had said: “rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough”.

His remarks were reportedly made to Earl Spencer during a major dispute over funeral arrangements after Diana died in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997.

But Buckingham Palace has hit back at the claims, saying that the King believes: “grief can cloud reason”.

On Thursday, senior royals are set to be seen in public carrying out official engagements amid the fallout. The King will address bosses from some of the world’s leading AI developers, while the Prince and Princess of Wales are set to visit the Isle of Bute.

A palace spokesman said: “While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss.”

Charles Edward Maurice Spencer, or Earl Spencer, is a British peer and journalist and the younger brother of Princess Diana.

He was also the godson of the late Queen Elizabeth II, and has close family ties to the Royal Family.

But his relationship with the royals has been fraught with tension since Diana’s death in 1997.

According to the Daily Mail , Earl Spencer says his upcoming book Swan Song: Diana, My Sister was written to correct “untruths” told about his older sister, who died in a Paris car crash in August 1997.

Buckingham Palace has hit back at claims made in an upcoming bombshell memoir written by Princess Diana’s brother Earl Spencer, saying that the King believes “grief can cloud reason”.

The book, which is set to be serialised in the Daily Mail , alleges that in the days after Diana’s death, King Charles had said “rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough”.

Charles, who was Prince of Wales at the time, made the apparent remarks to Earl Spencer during a major dispute over funeral arrangements after Diana died in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997.

A palace spokesman said: “While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss.”