Prince William and Harry’s Uncle Charles Spencer Scores Major Victory as King Charles Row Intensifies
Prince William and Prince Harry’s uncle Charles Spencer has secured a major publishing victory amid his heated dispute with King Charles, with Swan Song: Diana, My Sister becoming the UK’s bestselling non-fiction print book of 2026 so far.
The Earl Spencer’s controversial memoir has attracted enormous attention since its September 22 release, fuelled by his deeply personal recollections of Princess Diana and a series of disputed allegations involving the King.
According to figures confirmed by Nielsen, Swan Song sold 102,668 print copies during its opening week, demonstrating the continuing public interest in Diana almost three decades after her death.
“In its publication week, Swan Song has already become the bestselling non-fiction print book in the UK for 2026 so far,” Nielsen said in a statement confirming the book’s commercial performance.
The memoir also reportedly became the highest-selling print book across any genre in Britain during 2026 so far, marking an extraordinary opening for Spencer as controversy surrounding its contents continues.
Its strong sales come despite — and potentially partly because of — the intense debate generated by Spencer’s recollections of the breakdown of Diana’s marriage and the events surrounding her death in Paris in August 1997.
Among the most controversial allegations is Spencer’s account of a telephone conversation with the then-Prince Charles after Diana died, including his claim that Charles made the remark: “We’ll forget her soon enough.”
Spencer has also alleged that Charles sounded as though he had “won the lottery” when discussing Diana’s death, an explosive characterisation that has placed the King back at the centre of scrutiny over one of the monarchy’s most painful periods.
Buckingham Palace took the unusual step of responding to the memoir despite its general policy of avoiding public commentary on books concerning members of the Royal Family.
“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,” the Palace said.
Spencer has strongly rejected the suggestion that grief has distorted his recollections. He has publicly stood by his account and recently claimed that he told people about Charles’ alleged remarks at the time, including late American journalist Barbara Walters.
The Earl has also sought to separate Prince Harry from the controversy, insisting neither Harry nor other relatives helped write the memoir. He said only his wife and publishers knew about the project until shortly before its public announcement.
The book’s commercial success does not establish the accuracy of its disputed claims, but the figures show that Spencer’s account has captured considerable public attention. The memoir’s revelations have also ensured Diana’s complicated history with the monarchy is once again being widely discussed.
With more than 100,000 print copies sold in its first week, Spencer has achieved a significant publishing milestone even as his dispute with Buckingham Palace continues. Rather than fading following the initial controversy, Swan Song has become a major commercial success — keeping Diana, Spencer and his explosive disagreement with King Charles firmly in the spotlight.
