Earl Spencer, the younger brother of Princess Diana, opened up about the enduring impact of his sister’s death in a recent television interview, describing his ongoing grief and sharing revelations from his forthcoming memoir. Speaking with BBC journalist Laura Kuenssberg, Earl Spencer said he misses Diana “everyday” and reflected on the lasting pain caused by losing a sibling. “You never get over it,” he said, adding that looking at old photographs of Diana still deeply affects him.
In his memoir, titled *Swan Song: Diana, My Sister*, Spencer makes several contentious claims, including a statement he attributes to Diana that King Charles III was “in love with his valet.” The earl insisted that Diana personally conveyed this to him: “I can absolutely swear that [Diana] said those words to me.” These allegations have prompted a measured response from the palace, which cautioned that grief can sometimes cloud judgment.
The memoir also alleges troubling behavior involving Mohamed al-Fayed, the late former owner of Harrods. Spencer writes that Diana recounted an incident during her early relationship with Dodi Fayed, Mohamed al-Fayed’s son, in which Mohamed "dropped a hand onto her buttocks and squeezed them" while making a suggestive comment. According to Spencer, Diana “disliked” Mohamed al-Fayed and described the encounter with revulsion.
These claims come amid ongoing investigations into numerous allegations against Mohamed al-Fayed related to sexual misconduct. A BBC documentary aired two years ago brought to light claims of rape, sexual assault, exploitation, and human trafficking spanning from 1977 to 2014, implicating al-Fayed and associates. To date, the Metropolitan Police has reported handling at least 159 victims who have come forward directly, out of more than 400 allegations recorded since that documentary’s release. Al-Fayed passed away in 2023 at age 94.
In his memoir, Earl Spencer also reveals that he initially included Dodi Fayed’s name in his eulogy for Diana’s funeral, thanking him for bringing happiness to her final weeks. However, he later removed this reference before the service. The book is set for publication imminently and is being serialised ahead of its release.
The unfolding revelations add further complexity to public understanding of Diana’s final years, highlighting personal grievances and disputes within her family circle, as well as ongoing concerns related to the Fayed family. The palace has reiterated the need to balance respect for grief with careful consideration of such claims as details continue to emerge.