Spencer Stands by Claim of Charles’s 'We’ll Forget Her Soon Enough' Quote

“I can tell you here and now, those are exactly the words he said,” Earl Spencer declared in his first BBC interview following Buckingham Palace’s rare public response to his forthcoming memoir. The 60-year-old peer stands by his account of a private 1997 telephone exchange with then-Prince Charles, which forms a central claim in Swan Song: Diana, My Sister.

Spencer’s recollection of the call

The alleged conversation occurred shortly after Princess Diana’s death in a Paris car crash on 31 August 1997. Spencer said it took place amid disagreement over whether Princes William and Harry should walk behind their mother’s coffin — a decision later described by Prince Harry as something no child “should be asked to do.” According to Spencer, Charles “went ballistic” over his objection before uttering the phrase “we’ll forget her soon enough.” Spencer recalled being stunned and hanging up immediately.

Why Spencer says he remembers it precisely

Spencer emphasized the exceptional clarity of his memory, noting he had spoken with Charles by phone only twice in his entire life. “I’ve only ever had two calls on the line with Prince Charles at any stage of my life,” he stated. “I was hyper alert to what he was saying and those are precisely the words that he said and I promise that to you now.” He added he shared the exchange with family and friends because it struck him as “so monstrous.”

Buckingham Palace’s response and Spencer’s rebuttal

Buckingham Palace issued an uncommon formal statement addressing the claim, observing that “the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgement and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss.” Spencer rejected that framing outright. When asked which version of events is true, he replied simply: “I’m telling the truth.” He also posed questions about the King’s reaction: “Well, is he furious? Is he furious or is he embarrassed?”