Princess Diana’s brother, eyewitness to history, sparks royal ruckus

Charles Spencer, brother of the late Princess Diana, has sparked controversy with his new book, "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister." In the pre-released excerpts, Spencer claims that King Charles was "giddily elated" in the aftermath of Diana's death in 1997, reigniting a painful episode for the royal family. The 62-year-old author, who witnessed history firsthand, wrote the book to fulfill his duty as an eyewitness, but Buckingham Palace rejected his version of events in unusually strong terms.

Spencer, who is godson to Queen Elizabeth and was 17 when his sister married the then-Prince Charles in 1981, admitted that he did not fully understand the difficulties his sister faced in her marriage. He expressed regret for not doing more to help her and revealed that he wishes he could have done more to support her during her struggles.

The book's allegations about King Charles have reignited discussions about a damaging period in the royal family's history, potentially eroding any goodwill that remained after Diana's death in 1997.