UK king braces as memoir by Diana's brother goes on sale

A recently published memoir by Charles Spencer, the younger brother of Princess Diana, has caused controversy as it alleges explosive revelations about her late sister. Following the release of excerpts in the British tabloid, the Daily Mail, King Charles III responded with a rare and sharp rebuttal. The book, titled "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister," has been translated into 12 languages and published by Penguin.

Spencer claims that the book serves to speak on Diana's behalf and correct untruths that have become accepted over time. He asserts that Diana would be cheering at the publication of the book and that her ex-husband, then Prince Charles, told him shortly after her death in 1997, "Rest assured, we'll forget her soon enough." Spencer alleges that Charles was "giddily elated" at the news of Diana's demise, and that he "went ballistic" after insisting that Diana's sons, then Prince William and Prince Harry, should not walk behind her coffin in her funeral procession.

The King's spokesperson acknowledged the pain of fraternal grief, but Spencer criticized the palace for suggesting his recollection had been affected by grief, stating, "It is not every day you wake up to find you've been gaslit by the king."