Charles Spencer Reveals He Told Barbara Walters About King Charles Alleged Diana Remark Decades Ago

Prince William and Prince Harry’s uncle Charles Spencer has made a fresh revelation about King Charles alleged Princess Diana remarks claiming he told legendary journalist Barbara Walters about the disputed conversation nearly three decades ago.

The Earl Spencer has been defending claims contained in his newly released memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, which has reopened some of the most painful chapters surrounding Diana and the Royal Family.

Appearing on CBS Mornings on September 28, Spencer discussed the book with host Gayle King and addressed Buckingham Palace’s unusual response to his account.

The controversy centres on Spencer’s recollection of a telephone conversation with the then-Prince Charles following Diana’s death in Paris in August 1997.

Spencer alleges that during the conversation Charles made the extraordinary remark, “We’ll forget her soon enough,” a claim that has been disputed amid questions over memories of events nearly 30 years ago.

“The part of the conversation they’re particularly upset by is when he said to me about Diana, ‘We’ll forget her soon enough,’” Spencer told King during the interview.

The 62-year-old insisted he remains certain about what he remembers, pointing out that he had only spoken with the now-King twice by telephone, making the particular conversation stand out in his memory.

“And I know I heard that,” Spencer said. “I’ve only had two conversations on the phone with the now-King, so it’s definitely the case.”

Spencer then offered a new detail in support of his account, claiming he discussed the alleged comment with other people shortly after it happened rather than recalling it for the first time decades later.

“I told people at the time. I told Barbara Walters, actually, at the time,” he said. Walters, one of America’s best-known television journalists, died in 2022 and therefore cannot publicly confirm Spencer’s recollection of their conversation.

Spencer went on to accuse the Palace of attempting to undermine his memory. “But they have to gaslight; they have to sort of pretend there’s something wrong with my mind or my memory. There’s nothing wrong with either,” he said.

Buckingham Palace had previously issued a rare response to the memoir, saying King Charles was mindful that “the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory” many years after a loss.

Walters was not publicly known as one of Spencer’s closest associates, although the two crossed paths over the years. They were photographed at events, including the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in April 1997, months before Diana’s death. Walters also covered Diana’s wedding to Charles and interviewed the future King in 1984.

Spencer’s latest disclosure does not independently establish what was said during the private telephone conversation, but it strengthens his insistence that his recollection is longstanding rather than newly formed for his memoir. With the Earl refusing to withdraw the allegation, his dispute with the Palace over Diana’s final chapter appears far from settled.