Long-standing rumors about secret liaisons have lingered in the British royal family for decades, and now a new book by Diana’s younger brother Charles Spencer is drawing attention: In his forthcoming memoir set to be published next week, “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister” (Amazon-Affiliate Link) he recounts a confidential conversation with the “Queen of Hearts,” in which the discussion touched not just on Camilla Parker Bowles.
Spencer writes that he swallowed and replied that in this case she probably really had no choice. Diana had not named the palace employee, and he did not press further — for her, the moment had simply come when her marriage and her dreams were over. Spencer emphasizes that he is merely conveying the perception of his late sister and does not intend to judge what is true of the claim.
For longtime observers of the royal family, the topic isn’t entirely new: around 2003, persistent rumors in the British tabloid press circulated about an alleged affair or incident between the then-heir and a member of staff. At the time, Prince Charles’s office issued unusually sharp denials calling the allegations “completely untrue and without foundation” and obtained injunctions against media reports.
Reaction from Buckingham Palace
The Palace declined to comment on the passage when asked by “People.” Previously, the royal household stated that it generally does not comment on memoirs. However, the Palace stressed that the remarks by Diana’s brother should not be taken as gospel: “Her Majesty is aware that the pain of losing a sibling can cloud judgment, affect memory, and color recollections in a way that outsiders often cannot recognize — even many years after such a loss.”
