Sept. 21, 2026
Princess Di’s Brother Talks About Being “Gaslit By A King”, The Rift Between Harry and William, And His Biggest Regret
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RSS Feed Charles Spencer is in the final hours of promoting his book about his late sister Princes Diana, and he continues to drop headline making comments. Spencer says he has no relationship with the King and believes he was gaslit by him, calling Buckingham Palace’s statement about his book condescending and “not straight.” Spencer also acknowledged that while most people believe he’s on Prince Harry’s side of the divide between him and Prince William, he insists he’s on the side of both of them, adding he hopes one day it’s resolved. Princess Di’s brother also revealed the reason he wrote the book now, and included his biggest regret in delivering Diana’s eulogy.
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00:00:02
Speaker 1: We're just hours away from Charles Spencer's long-awaited and much-publicized memoir about his sister, Princess Diana. He is still doing the rounds, and he is still dropping bombshells about King Charles, about William and Harry, and about his biggest regret when he gave the eulogy for his sister, Princess Diana. And with that, everyone, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. It is Monday, September 14th. and yes, it is tomorrow, the 22nd of September, that the long-awaited book is finally released, but I am sure no one will be more relieved when this is all said and done more than Buckingham Palace itself.
00:00:46
Speaker 2: Maybe not. It might be worse. Who knows what's in this thing? He's dropping stuff to keep trickling stuff out, but it seems like he's got a bone to pick. He's got a score to settle right now. He knows what he's doing, it seems, right now, Rose.
00:01:00
Speaker 1: It certainly is. It certainly seems that way. And each headline, the last one I saw that he's told folks, and it almost kind of made me laugh out loud, he told several members of the media that he has nothing to do with the king anymore. I would think that would have absolutely had to be the case to read what we've read so far in terms of the excerpts. Can't imagine you'd have a any sort of relationship, let alone a cordial one, and write what he has written about what he claims then Prince Charles said and felt about his sister. He knew what he was doing when he wrote what he wrote. And he actually says he felt like he had a duty to do so.
00:01:39
Speaker 2: I mean, look, he lost his sister in the most public of ways. And the fascination and even the questions around her have not stopped in 30 years. This is still fresh information. For him, and that, you could argue, tore a family apart, right? A lot of stuff was happening before that, but this just ripped everybody apart. Those boys still aren't getting along. And now this, again, he feels how he feels, but this is bad.
00:02:10
Speaker 1: You know what?
00:02:11
Speaker 2: He's one of the most credible figures we could have out there talking about the king that people would listen to.
00:02:16
Speaker 1: And he is actually one of those figures that, given the fissure and given all of the divide that has been widely, I would even say it's been publicized, but it's been fictionalized in a lot of ways too with all of these recent series and movies about the crown, the queen, all of that. But Charles Spencer is somebody who represents both Princess Diana's family, the uncle of those two boys, William and Harry, the future king, and yes, the once-brother-in-law of King Charles. He could have been a uniter, but unfortunately this book is exposing just how deep some of these divisions have run, and it continued even 30 years later. And that's the sad part about it.
00:03:03
Speaker 2: Well, you expect it from this guy, perhaps, but some other stuff with the family, you just hate it. And it really does. You were showing me the picture earlier. All I see is I have no burned memory of... a happy family of Charles, Diana, and the two boys. Only pictures I remember is her with the two boys.
00:03:21
Speaker 1: That's so true.
00:03:22
Speaker 2: That's it.
00:03:23
Speaker 1: I hadn't even thought about that, but you're right.
00:03:25
Speaker 2: So there's such a part of that whole legacy, and this is just more messiness.
00:03:29
Speaker 1: Yes.
00:03:30
Speaker 2: And it reads, actually.
00:03:31
Speaker 1: It does.
00:03:32
Speaker 2: Her family doesn't like the king. Shocker.
00:03:35
Speaker 1: You don't say. And now it's all written down for everyone to read, or at least it will be in a matter of hours. And Charles Spencer has been making the rounds and we've been reporting on it to several different outlets promoting his book. And each day we get different headlines. But I thought it was interesting when Charles Spencer was asked by the BBC about William and Harry. And I thought a couple of things stood out. First of all, he said that none of what he's written, we've described a lot of what he said is a bombshell or a shocking headline. I thought it was interesting. He said, none of what I've written, those words that I've written will not be a surprise to William and Harry. And in a way he's saying, yes, they know what I'm saying is true. They won't come out and say, none of this is true. They've, they've already known this because they lived it. They experienced it. They heard it. They saw it.
00:04:27
Speaker 2: It's also possible. He gave them a heads up about what he was writing. Um, I would hope he did. because this impacts their family in a major way. So hopefully he, we hear this oftentimes, even, People, before they write books, they'll check in with their exes before they do this stuff sometimes. So I hope so. But yeah, I think that was more to give credence to the things he was saying.
00:04:50
Speaker 1: Exactly. And then he did say this, and I didn't know that this was out there. Maybe the British press covers this a little bit differently than we do. I'm sure they do more extensively. But he said, there's a perception in the media that I'm on Harry's side.
00:05:03
Speaker 2: I didn't know that.
00:05:03
Speaker 1: Yeah, I didn't either. But he felt the need to speak out about it. He said, well, I'm on my deceased sister's son's side, both of them. And if either of them wanted anything, then I'd be equally there for them. And I never get involved in one camp or the other except as a benign figure. And he said that there are a lot of reasons on both sides why William and Harry are He says, got to this stage. I hope one day it's resolved. Look, it's very rare that we hear anyone even acknowledge. Who would know that there is this rift between them? Yes, we know it. Yes, we've heard about it. But to actually hear Charles Spencer acknowledge it is of note.
00:05:46
Speaker 2: But what relationship does he have with the boys? I mean, how close is he to them? It's possible he has no relationship with them.
00:06:01
Speaker 1: We don't know about his relationship with William, but certainly there has been in the media reports that Harry has stayed with them or has been visiting with them his mother's family's side when he came to the UK, when Meghan came to the UK. You're right, we're not privy to exactly what access he has, but it certainly has been publicized that Harry has a relationship with Princess Diana's family.
00:06:27
Speaker 2: Again, most of this book is supposed to be about his sister. And I know they're going to pluck out the things with the biggest names for excerpts. There might be five pages dedicated to Charles for all we know.
00:06:41
Speaker 1: Yeah, we don't know. We don't know. And maybe all the stuff that everyone's looking forward to reading has already been released. We don't know that. But the stuff about William and Harry, I think that'sâ we talk about this often. And when anything comes up, that is really the biggestâ That's the saddest part about it all, just given Princess Diana's legacy and this book that is, yes, about her, about her life, about honoring her legacy. I do think it's important. He acknowledged he doesn't obviously know exactly what's going on between William and Harry, but he said this, I don't know all. I certainly don't know what's been done in the finer detail. And so I would feel intrusive if I got more involved than to say, of course, a mother would want her two sons to be happy together forever. and love each other. And we've been saying that.
00:07:28
Speaker 2: Yes.
00:07:29
Speaker 1: Forever.
00:07:29
Speaker 2: And again, the guy has something on his heart that he wants to get off, and you can't, I don't know, babe, he feels like he was wronged. He's not wronged by a prince or by a king, by the guy that married my sister. It's that simple. As far as, we can all understand and relate to that. I don't know, babe, what to feel about, he is going after this guy now. Yes.
00:07:52
Speaker 1: Why?
00:07:54
Speaker 2: Why?
00:07:54
Speaker 1: Why?
00:07:55
Speaker 2: Could have told that story five years afterwards, immediately after, 10 years after, 20. Why now? Why?
00:08:04
Speaker 1: He actually gave an answer to that, why he wrote it. He said that he felt, now why he timed it when he did, we don't know, but he just gave this answer. He said it was his duty as an eyewitness to history. And he said, maybe this maybe gives some sort of an explanation as to his timing and why now. But this is a quote from Charles Spencer. He said, I am aware of mortality. and I wanted just to put things down once and for all that were true. This is not a threat. It's a fact. I know lots of things about the king, which I chose not to include in the book because they were not relevant. So he's kind of saying, I said some things, but you wouldn't believe all the stuff I actually know, but I'm not even going to do that because it wouldn't be relevant. But basically, it sounded to me like, I wanted to put the truth out before it's too late. I wanted to set the record straight. It is interesting. He waited 30 years, but he's saying he's aware of his own mortality. Look, he's 62. He's not that old of a man.
00:09:09
Speaker 2: Yeah. Is he sick?
00:09:12
Speaker 1: I don't know. And I never even thought about that.
00:09:14
Speaker 2: I mean, the way he put it, I'm aware of mortality. Most people aren't talking about that at 62.
00:09:18
Speaker 1: They are not.
00:09:19
Speaker 2: They are making plans. They are still dealing with grandkids. They still have trips to take. So I wonder, and no one anywhere, right, is suggesting that. But the way he's talking, Robes, that is a better answer as to why than one I've heard yet. Why now? And yes, there's kind of a peg to the 30-year anniversary of her death.
00:09:42
Speaker 1: But there was the 10-year anniversary and the 20-year anniversary and the 25-year anniversary. And he didn't choose to write anything at any of those points when his memory might have been fresher or clearer. So you're right. I hadn't thought about like that, but he is the one who used the word, I am aware of my mortality. And I wanted basically to set the record straight. I wanted the truth to get out there. I wonder. I wonder too. And yes, this book is going to be snatched up. by just about everybody and anybody. But when we come back, the other big headline from what Charles Spencer had to say was that he talked about being, yes, gaslit by a king and his biggest regret, what he didn't say at Princess Diana's eulogy. Welcome back, everyone, to Amy and TJ. Yes, the bombshell book by Charles Spencer about Princess Diana, his sister- will be out officially on Tuesday, September 22nd. But he was still, I know.
00:10:49
Speaker 2: I feel like I read the whole book already. Right?
00:10:51
Speaker 1: And he has managed to keep this book in the headlines for a week straight. That is not an easy feat. And he has managed to do it because, yes, every day we get a new interview, a new excerpt, a new little bit of information that's inside this book. But I thought it was really interesting, his response was, to Buckingham Palace's official statement where they were basically saying that his grief has clouded his memory and his judgment.
00:11:17
Speaker 2: He just doesn't understand because it's fraternal grief that even years later, you don't even realize, son, what you're going through. But I as king.
00:11:24
Speaker 1: It's almost like a little pity party they were throwing Charles Spencer.
00:11:29
Speaker 2: Wait, do you have it in front of you? That statement? Shit. It's so good. We're talking about it. It is so unbelievably condescending and British-ish. And polite and rude as hell. All at the same time.
00:11:40
Speaker 1: It's the best of all.
00:11:40
Speaker 2: It's an unbelievable statement. But he's being dismissive almost, Robes. It was rude. It was mean. You could even argue to talk about somebody. He lost his sister. The only thing to say, I'm sorry he still. No, no, no. Don't say anything. That's the right thing to do. This is what the palace does all the time. So why that one? Why answer the princess die insult?
00:12:04
Speaker 1: Right? It's so interesting that, and even in the beginning of their statement, they basically said, well, we don't typically comment on books, but watch while we do. And that actually, I think, was so interesting. Well, it's so funny. I went to the BBC and they have a firewall up, so of course I couldn't do it. Yes. But I will get to the actual statement. Here it is. 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 color memory in ways others do not recognize, even many years after such a loss. That was a huge F.U. to Charles Spencer.
00:12:47
Speaker 2: It was, and it just wasn't necessary. Robes, that seemed more personal than official.
00:12:52
Speaker 1: It did.
00:12:52
Speaker 2: It didn't seem like it was necessary to respond to that. That was a....
00:13:01
Speaker 1: There's anger behind that.
00:13:02
Speaker 2: This is going to sound, it seemed Trumpian in that, dude, you're the king. You're at the palace. Let it go. People are talking about you all the time. There's no reason for this. It's like when the president is watching MSNBC and just in a moment, he sees one person say one thing he doesn't like and he hops on and post something on True Social. Robes, that response seems like, who insisted on that? It had to be the king and the king only because it pissed him off.
00:13:31
Speaker 1: And they attributed directly to his majesty. So they absolutely showed who the author was. And to me, it was just, you could tell the king was triggered. Like literally the king was triggered.
00:13:45
Speaker 2: And the king missed a very important response, Robes, in that response. You were accused of something. When you are, and you put out a statement in response, you have to answer the accusation.
00:14:01
Speaker 1: He did not. And that is what Charles Spencer himself noted. So when his response... To the king's response, I thought this was pretty fascinating. Charles Spencer said, well, it's not every day you're gaslit by a king. But I was really upset with that because I thought it was very not only condescending, but not straight. What I said is straight and true. And what did they come back with?
00:14:28
Speaker 2: That.
00:14:29
Speaker 1: It doesn't say he didn't say it either. That's what I found interesting. I was really shocked, actually. And you said this from day one when we read the King's response or the Buckingham Palace statement. You said, wow, they didn't deny that the King said it. They just threw into question Charles Spencer's memory. But they didn't say, I absolutely would never have said that. I didn't say that. There was no denial.
00:14:57
Speaker 2: And that's what you're supposed to say. This is unbelievable. I would never suggest such a thing. And no matter what has happened, even though we split, this country will never forget Princess Diana and what she meant to all of us, including me. I'm sorry he feels that. You don't have to add the I'm sorry thing. But Robes, you say that if you, or just shut up.
00:15:22
Speaker 1: Or just say nothing, right?
00:15:24
Speaker 2: Which is their policy usually.
00:15:26
Speaker 1: And there's a reason why. And we can see, I was wondering if Buckingham Palace, if King Charles regrets in any way, shape or form putting out that statement. You think so?
00:15:38
Speaker 2: If he had a true social account. He would be going off every day, every time the dude releases something. But he doesn't have that. You get one shot to do it. Did they not know more was coming? Because they need to give a response now. They got tricked into responding after the first tidbit. This is well done PR by Spencer and his team. We give them something short and really shocking. Let them simmer on that for 48 hours, and then every day, boom, we hit them with something new. Boom, boom, interview, interview, print interview, TV interview, American print, American TV, British TV, British print. They're everywhere. Road with this guy.
00:16:15
Speaker 1: It's true. There are not many books that could garner this many international headlines. that just continued day after day, and yet he has managed to do so. I also thought it was interesting, and this is something that's in the book too. He said he has one regret from the eulogy that he gave on his sister, and he said it was not mentioning Dodi Fayed. I did not see that one coming. I think any of us who were alive during that time know and know that name. Dodi Fayed was, of course, killed alongside Princess Diana in that Paris tunnel. And the driver, Henri Paul, also was killed, by the way. But he says he just he didn't mention him because he considered he really considered him not an integral part of her life. I don't think any of us really knew what their relationship was. But apparently in the book, Charles Spencer goes into their relationship and he described it as a fling, as a relationship he believed Diana was having to make someone else jealous, who she was actually in love with. But he did praise Dodi Fayed in the book for being kind to his sister. And he said that he showed her gentle playfulness, that he was a decent human being and he wished that he had Paid a little more homage to him in the eulogy. And look, a lot of different people have gone back and forth about whether or not Dodi Fayed and Princess Diana were serious. Were they on their way to getting married?
00:17:43
Speaker 2: They were dating, were they not?
00:17:44
Speaker 1: Yes, they were dating. But Charles Spencer made it very clear that he did not believe it was anything serious at all. But again, felt bad that he did not include him. He said he had him included in an earlier draft in the eulogy and then just decided... right before he gave the speech, not to include Dodi Fayed, and he wishes he could have now. So I thought that was interesting. And look, who knows what else is between those pages that we'll find fascinating, but I doubt the headlines are over tomorrow. We'll probably get another round as journalists go through the pages, but this is going to be a big deal. Swan Song, Diana, my sister, out on September 22nd, and I bet that day can't come soon enough for Buckingham Palace.
00:18:27
Speaker 2: Will they have to put out another statement?
00:18:29
Speaker 1: I don't know. I think they may have learned their lesson perhaps the hard way.
00:18:32
Speaker 2: They might be embarrassed to do so now. Let's read this thing and then we'll put out one big whoop-de-doo.
00:18:37
Speaker 1: Right, but especially seeing how the first statement started with we don't normally comment on books. and then they commented, to put out a second statement would really fly in the face of that.
00:18:48
Speaker 2: The next statement should start the same way. We don't usually comment on books, but this mother is pushing it, okay? Charles, okay, Charles Spencer, you are asking for it.
00:18:58
Speaker 1: Enough is enough.
00:18:59
Speaker 2: Yes, I'm okay with that.
00:19:01
Speaker 1: All right, well, we will let you know if any other headlines start percolating on this one, but we always appreciate you listening to us, everyone. I'm Amy Robach, alongside TJ Holmes. We'll talk soon.
Speaker 1: We're just hours away from Charles Spencer's long-awaited and much-publicized memoir about his sister, Princess Diana. He is still doing the rounds, and he is still dropping bombshells about King Charles, about William and Harry, and about his biggest regret when he gave the eulogy for his sister, Princess Diana. And with that, everyone, welcome to this episode of Amy and TJ. It is Monday, September 14th. and yes, it is tomorrow, the 22nd of September, that the long-awaited book is finally released, but I am sure no one will be more relieved when this is all said and done more than Buckingham Palace itself.
00:00:46
Speaker 2: Maybe not. It might be worse. Who knows what's in this thing? He's dropping stuff to keep trickling stuff out, but it seems like he's got a bone to pick. He's got a score to settle right now. He knows what he's doing, it seems, right now, Rose.
00:01:00
Speaker 1: It certainly is. It certainly seems that way. And each headline, the last one I saw that he's told folks, and it almost kind of made me laugh out loud, he told several members of the media that he has nothing to do with the king anymore. I would think that would have absolutely had to be the case to read what we've read so far in terms of the excerpts. Can't imagine you'd have a any sort of relationship, let alone a cordial one, and write what he has written about what he claims then Prince Charles said and felt about his sister. He knew what he was doing when he wrote what he wrote. And he actually says he felt like he had a duty to do so.
00:01:39
Speaker 2: I mean, look, he lost his sister in the most public of ways. And the fascination and even the questions around her have not stopped in 30 years. This is still fresh information. For him, and that, you could argue, tore a family apart, right? A lot of stuff was happening before that, but this just ripped everybody apart. Those boys still aren't getting along. And now this, again, he feels how he feels, but this is bad.
00:02:10
Speaker 1: You know what?
00:02:11
Speaker 2: He's one of the most credible figures we could have out there talking about the king that people would listen to.
00:02:16
Speaker 1: And he is actually one of those figures that, given the fissure and given all of the divide that has been widely, I would even say it's been publicized, but it's been fictionalized in a lot of ways too with all of these recent series and movies about the crown, the queen, all of that. But Charles Spencer is somebody who represents both Princess Diana's family, the uncle of those two boys, William and Harry, the future king, and yes, the once-brother-in-law of King Charles. He could have been a uniter, but unfortunately this book is exposing just how deep some of these divisions have run, and it continued even 30 years later. And that's the sad part about it.
00:03:03
Speaker 2: Well, you expect it from this guy, perhaps, but some other stuff with the family, you just hate it. And it really does. You were showing me the picture earlier. All I see is I have no burned memory of... a happy family of Charles, Diana, and the two boys. Only pictures I remember is her with the two boys.
00:03:21
Speaker 1: That's so true.
00:03:22
Speaker 2: That's it.
00:03:23
Speaker 1: I hadn't even thought about that, but you're right.
00:03:25
Speaker 2: So there's such a part of that whole legacy, and this is just more messiness.
00:03:29
Speaker 1: Yes.
00:03:30
Speaker 2: And it reads, actually.
00:03:31
Speaker 1: It does.
00:03:32
Speaker 2: Her family doesn't like the king. Shocker.
00:03:35
Speaker 1: You don't say. And now it's all written down for everyone to read, or at least it will be in a matter of hours. And Charles Spencer has been making the rounds and we've been reporting on it to several different outlets promoting his book. And each day we get different headlines. But I thought it was interesting when Charles Spencer was asked by the BBC about William and Harry. And I thought a couple of things stood out. First of all, he said that none of what he's written, we've described a lot of what he said is a bombshell or a shocking headline. I thought it was interesting. He said, none of what I've written, those words that I've written will not be a surprise to William and Harry. And in a way he's saying, yes, they know what I'm saying is true. They won't come out and say, none of this is true. They've, they've already known this because they lived it. They experienced it. They heard it. They saw it.
00:04:27
Speaker 2: It's also possible. He gave them a heads up about what he was writing. Um, I would hope he did. because this impacts their family in a major way. So hopefully he, we hear this oftentimes, even, People, before they write books, they'll check in with their exes before they do this stuff sometimes. So I hope so. But yeah, I think that was more to give credence to the things he was saying.
00:04:50
Speaker 1: Exactly. And then he did say this, and I didn't know that this was out there. Maybe the British press covers this a little bit differently than we do. I'm sure they do more extensively. But he said, there's a perception in the media that I'm on Harry's side.
00:05:03
Speaker 2: I didn't know that.
00:05:03
Speaker 1: Yeah, I didn't either. But he felt the need to speak out about it. He said, well, I'm on my deceased sister's son's side, both of them. And if either of them wanted anything, then I'd be equally there for them. And I never get involved in one camp or the other except as a benign figure. And he said that there are a lot of reasons on both sides why William and Harry are He says, got to this stage. I hope one day it's resolved. Look, it's very rare that we hear anyone even acknowledge. Who would know that there is this rift between them? Yes, we know it. Yes, we've heard about it. But to actually hear Charles Spencer acknowledge it is of note.
00:05:46
Speaker 2: But what relationship does he have with the boys? I mean, how close is he to them? It's possible he has no relationship with them.
00:06:01
Speaker 1: We don't know about his relationship with William, but certainly there has been in the media reports that Harry has stayed with them or has been visiting with them his mother's family's side when he came to the UK, when Meghan came to the UK. You're right, we're not privy to exactly what access he has, but it certainly has been publicized that Harry has a relationship with Princess Diana's family.
00:06:27
Speaker 2: Again, most of this book is supposed to be about his sister. And I know they're going to pluck out the things with the biggest names for excerpts. There might be five pages dedicated to Charles for all we know.
00:06:41
Speaker 1: Yeah, we don't know. We don't know. And maybe all the stuff that everyone's looking forward to reading has already been released. We don't know that. But the stuff about William and Harry, I think that'sâ we talk about this often. And when anything comes up, that is really the biggestâ That's the saddest part about it all, just given Princess Diana's legacy and this book that is, yes, about her, about her life, about honoring her legacy. I do think it's important. He acknowledged he doesn't obviously know exactly what's going on between William and Harry, but he said this, I don't know all. I certainly don't know what's been done in the finer detail. And so I would feel intrusive if I got more involved than to say, of course, a mother would want her two sons to be happy together forever. and love each other. And we've been saying that.
00:07:28
Speaker 2: Yes.
00:07:29
Speaker 1: Forever.
00:07:29
Speaker 2: And again, the guy has something on his heart that he wants to get off, and you can't, I don't know, babe, he feels like he was wronged. He's not wronged by a prince or by a king, by the guy that married my sister. It's that simple. As far as, we can all understand and relate to that. I don't know, babe, what to feel about, he is going after this guy now. Yes.
00:07:52
Speaker 1: Why?
00:07:54
Speaker 2: Why?
00:07:54
Speaker 1: Why?
00:07:55
Speaker 2: Could have told that story five years afterwards, immediately after, 10 years after, 20. Why now? Why?
00:08:04
Speaker 1: He actually gave an answer to that, why he wrote it. He said that he felt, now why he timed it when he did, we don't know, but he just gave this answer. He said it was his duty as an eyewitness to history. And he said, maybe this maybe gives some sort of an explanation as to his timing and why now. But this is a quote from Charles Spencer. He said, I am aware of mortality. and I wanted just to put things down once and for all that were true. This is not a threat. It's a fact. I know lots of things about the king, which I chose not to include in the book because they were not relevant. So he's kind of saying, I said some things, but you wouldn't believe all the stuff I actually know, but I'm not even going to do that because it wouldn't be relevant. But basically, it sounded to me like, I wanted to put the truth out before it's too late. I wanted to set the record straight. It is interesting. He waited 30 years, but he's saying he's aware of his own mortality. Look, he's 62. He's not that old of a man.
00:09:09
Speaker 2: Yeah. Is he sick?
00:09:12
Speaker 1: I don't know. And I never even thought about that.
00:09:14
Speaker 2: I mean, the way he put it, I'm aware of mortality. Most people aren't talking about that at 62.
00:09:18
Speaker 1: They are not.
00:09:19
Speaker 2: They are making plans. They are still dealing with grandkids. They still have trips to take. So I wonder, and no one anywhere, right, is suggesting that. But the way he's talking, Robes, that is a better answer as to why than one I've heard yet. Why now? And yes, there's kind of a peg to the 30-year anniversary of her death.
00:09:42
Speaker 1: But there was the 10-year anniversary and the 20-year anniversary and the 25-year anniversary. And he didn't choose to write anything at any of those points when his memory might have been fresher or clearer. So you're right. I hadn't thought about like that, but he is the one who used the word, I am aware of my mortality. And I wanted basically to set the record straight. I wanted the truth to get out there. I wonder. I wonder too. And yes, this book is going to be snatched up. by just about everybody and anybody. But when we come back, the other big headline from what Charles Spencer had to say was that he talked about being, yes, gaslit by a king and his biggest regret, what he didn't say at Princess Diana's eulogy. Welcome back, everyone, to Amy and TJ. Yes, the bombshell book by Charles Spencer about Princess Diana, his sister- will be out officially on Tuesday, September 22nd. But he was still, I know.
00:10:49
Speaker 2: I feel like I read the whole book already. Right?
00:10:51
Speaker 1: And he has managed to keep this book in the headlines for a week straight. That is not an easy feat. And he has managed to do it because, yes, every day we get a new interview, a new excerpt, a new little bit of information that's inside this book. But I thought it was really interesting, his response was, to Buckingham Palace's official statement where they were basically saying that his grief has clouded his memory and his judgment.
00:11:17
Speaker 2: He just doesn't understand because it's fraternal grief that even years later, you don't even realize, son, what you're going through. But I as king.
00:11:24
Speaker 1: It's almost like a little pity party they were throwing Charles Spencer.
00:11:29
Speaker 2: Wait, do you have it in front of you? That statement? Shit. It's so good. We're talking about it. It is so unbelievably condescending and British-ish. And polite and rude as hell. All at the same time.
00:11:40
Speaker 1: It's the best of all.
00:11:40
Speaker 2: It's an unbelievable statement. But he's being dismissive almost, Robes. It was rude. It was mean. You could even argue to talk about somebody. He lost his sister. The only thing to say, I'm sorry he still. No, no, no. Don't say anything. That's the right thing to do. This is what the palace does all the time. So why that one? Why answer the princess die insult?
00:12:04
Speaker 1: Right? It's so interesting that, and even in the beginning of their statement, they basically said, well, we don't typically comment on books, but watch while we do. And that actually, I think, was so interesting. Well, it's so funny. I went to the BBC and they have a firewall up, so of course I couldn't do it. Yes. But I will get to the actual statement. Here it is. 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 color memory in ways others do not recognize, even many years after such a loss. That was a huge F.U. to Charles Spencer.
00:12:47
Speaker 2: It was, and it just wasn't necessary. Robes, that seemed more personal than official.
00:12:52
Speaker 1: It did.
00:12:52
Speaker 2: It didn't seem like it was necessary to respond to that. That was a....
00:13:01
Speaker 1: There's anger behind that.
00:13:02
Speaker 2: This is going to sound, it seemed Trumpian in that, dude, you're the king. You're at the palace. Let it go. People are talking about you all the time. There's no reason for this. It's like when the president is watching MSNBC and just in a moment, he sees one person say one thing he doesn't like and he hops on and post something on True Social. Robes, that response seems like, who insisted on that? It had to be the king and the king only because it pissed him off.
00:13:31
Speaker 1: And they attributed directly to his majesty. So they absolutely showed who the author was. And to me, it was just, you could tell the king was triggered. Like literally the king was triggered.
00:13:45
Speaker 2: And the king missed a very important response, Robes, in that response. You were accused of something. When you are, and you put out a statement in response, you have to answer the accusation.
00:14:01
Speaker 1: He did not. And that is what Charles Spencer himself noted. So when his response... To the king's response, I thought this was pretty fascinating. Charles Spencer said, well, it's not every day you're gaslit by a king. But I was really upset with that because I thought it was very not only condescending, but not straight. What I said is straight and true. And what did they come back with?
00:14:28
Speaker 2: That.
00:14:29
Speaker 1: It doesn't say he didn't say it either. That's what I found interesting. I was really shocked, actually. And you said this from day one when we read the King's response or the Buckingham Palace statement. You said, wow, they didn't deny that the King said it. They just threw into question Charles Spencer's memory. But they didn't say, I absolutely would never have said that. I didn't say that. There was no denial.
00:14:57
Speaker 2: And that's what you're supposed to say. This is unbelievable. I would never suggest such a thing. And no matter what has happened, even though we split, this country will never forget Princess Diana and what she meant to all of us, including me. I'm sorry he feels that. You don't have to add the I'm sorry thing. But Robes, you say that if you, or just shut up.
00:15:22
Speaker 1: Or just say nothing, right?
00:15:24
Speaker 2: Which is their policy usually.
00:15:26
Speaker 1: And there's a reason why. And we can see, I was wondering if Buckingham Palace, if King Charles regrets in any way, shape or form putting out that statement. You think so?
00:15:38
Speaker 2: If he had a true social account. He would be going off every day, every time the dude releases something. But he doesn't have that. You get one shot to do it. Did they not know more was coming? Because they need to give a response now. They got tricked into responding after the first tidbit. This is well done PR by Spencer and his team. We give them something short and really shocking. Let them simmer on that for 48 hours, and then every day, boom, we hit them with something new. Boom, boom, interview, interview, print interview, TV interview, American print, American TV, British TV, British print. They're everywhere. Road with this guy.
00:16:15
Speaker 1: It's true. There are not many books that could garner this many international headlines. that just continued day after day, and yet he has managed to do so. I also thought it was interesting, and this is something that's in the book too. He said he has one regret from the eulogy that he gave on his sister, and he said it was not mentioning Dodi Fayed. I did not see that one coming. I think any of us who were alive during that time know and know that name. Dodi Fayed was, of course, killed alongside Princess Diana in that Paris tunnel. And the driver, Henri Paul, also was killed, by the way. But he says he just he didn't mention him because he considered he really considered him not an integral part of her life. I don't think any of us really knew what their relationship was. But apparently in the book, Charles Spencer goes into their relationship and he described it as a fling, as a relationship he believed Diana was having to make someone else jealous, who she was actually in love with. But he did praise Dodi Fayed in the book for being kind to his sister. And he said that he showed her gentle playfulness, that he was a decent human being and he wished that he had Paid a little more homage to him in the eulogy. And look, a lot of different people have gone back and forth about whether or not Dodi Fayed and Princess Diana were serious. Were they on their way to getting married?
00:17:43
Speaker 2: They were dating, were they not?
00:17:44
Speaker 1: Yes, they were dating. But Charles Spencer made it very clear that he did not believe it was anything serious at all. But again, felt bad that he did not include him. He said he had him included in an earlier draft in the eulogy and then just decided... right before he gave the speech, not to include Dodi Fayed, and he wishes he could have now. So I thought that was interesting. And look, who knows what else is between those pages that we'll find fascinating, but I doubt the headlines are over tomorrow. We'll probably get another round as journalists go through the pages, but this is going to be a big deal. Swan Song, Diana, my sister, out on September 22nd, and I bet that day can't come soon enough for Buckingham Palace.
00:18:27
Speaker 2: Will they have to put out another statement?
00:18:29
Speaker 1: I don't know. I think they may have learned their lesson perhaps the hard way.
00:18:32
Speaker 2: They might be embarrassed to do so now. Let's read this thing and then we'll put out one big whoop-de-doo.
00:18:37
Speaker 1: Right, but especially seeing how the first statement started with we don't normally comment on books. and then they commented, to put out a second statement would really fly in the face of that.
00:18:48
Speaker 2: The next statement should start the same way. We don't usually comment on books, but this mother is pushing it, okay? Charles, okay, Charles Spencer, you are asking for it.
00:18:58
Speaker 1: Enough is enough.
00:18:59
Speaker 2: Yes, I'm okay with that.
00:19:01
Speaker 1: All right, well, we will let you know if any other headlines start percolating on this one, but we always appreciate you listening to us, everyone. I'm Amy Robach, alongside TJ Holmes. We'll talk soon.