Earl Charles Spencer Clarifies Stance on Prince William and Prince Harry Rift: ‘I Stand Equally by Both My Nephews’
Speaking candidly in a feature BBC News interview ahead of the global release of his biographical work Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, Charles, the 9th Earl Spencer, directly addressed the bitter, years-long estrangement dividing his royal nephews, Prince William (44) and Prince Harry (42).
Dismantling persistent media narratives alleging he has aligned himself with the Sussex camp, Princess Diana’s younger brother maintained that his loyalty belongs undivided to the memory of his sister and her surviving children: “I think there is a perception in the media that I am on Harry’s side. Well, I’m on my deceased sister’s sons’ 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, I hope.”
Articulating a heartfelt wish that the brothers’ fractured dynamic will eventually be resolved, the 62-year-old peer noted that complex grievances on “both sides” brought their fraternal bond to this critical impasse. Spencer declined to speculate on the nuanced private mechanics of the dispute to avoid intrusive meddling, noting simply: “Of course a mother would want her two sons to be happy together and love each other.” The intervention comes as insiders confirm William and Harry remain completely out of direct contact, with William maintaining rigorous caution, even as the Duke of Sussex establishes tentative communications with King Charles III following his family’s resettlement in southern England.
The interview also saw Spencer double down against Buckingham Palace’s official dismissal of his historical claims, which suggested that grief had clouded his recollection. Challenged on whether King Charles III was furious about the memoir’s allegations regarding the 1997 aftermath of Diana’s death, Spencer retorted: “Is he furious or is he embarrassed? Because I can tell you here and now, those are exactly the words he said. I was hyper-alert to what he was saying… and I don’t hear him saying he didn’t say that.”
Characterizing Swan Song as his most deeply personal literary tribute, Spencer affirmed his conviction that Diana would have approved of every word, setting the stage for an explosive worldwide publication on September 22.