Piers Morgan has accused Charles Spencer of “shamelessly profiting” from Princess Diana after her brother compared some of the media treatment directed at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle with what Diana experienced.
Spencer told the BBC that he sees “echoes” of his sister’s experience in coverage of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex. He said tabloid stories about Diana and the couple could be “really, really unpleasant” and argued that lessons should have been learned from the effect sustained hostile scrutiny had on his sister.
Morgan responded on social media while Spencer was promoting his memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister. He called the situation “beyond parody” and argued that Spencer was criticizing intrusive coverage of Harry and Meghan while publishing highly critical claims about King Charles.
The broadcaster also revived Spencer’s own comments from 1998, when Diana’s brother rejected accusations that he was commercially exploiting her death and said he would “never profit” from it. Spencer has described his new book differently, presenting it as a personal account from a brother and eyewitness to events surrounding Diana’s life and death.
Morgan Says Spencer Is Doing What He Condemned in 1998
Morgan’s criticism focused heavily on the contrast between Spencer’s current memoir and comments he made approximately a year after Diana died.
“I’ve seen some brass necks in my time,” Morgan wrote before accusing Spencer of condemning the way the media treats Harry and Meghan while publishing a book that, in Morgan’s view, portrays Charles in an equally damaging way.
He then accused Spencer of “shamelessly profiting” from Diana and described him as hypocritical for criticizing intrusions into royal privacy while revealing private conversations involving the royal family.
The older footage cited by Morgan comes from 1998, when Spencer was facing questions about money generated by visitors to Althorp, the Spencer family estate where Diana was buried.
“Can you imagine anybody making a profit out of their brother or sister’s death?” Spencer said during the interview. “I would never profit from Diana’s death.”
A Washington Post report published that year documented controversy over admission fees, a restaurant and merchandise connected with visitors to Althorp. Spencer said at the time that a substantial portion of the proceeds would go to Diana’s memorial charity.
Morgan’s claim that the memoir violates Spencer’s earlier position remains Morgan’s interpretation. Spencer has not accepted that characterization and says his purpose in writing Swan Song was to record what he personally witnessed and remembers.
Spencer Said Harry and Meghan’s Treatment Has ‘Echoes’ of Diana’s Experience
Spencer’s comments about Harry and Meghan came during a BBC interview ahead of the memoir’s publication.
“If you look at an article in a tabloid about Diana or… Harry and Meghan, you know, they can be really, really unpleasant,” he said.
Spencer recalled seeing his sister reduced to “tears of despair” by criticism and said persistent negative attention could become a “cancerous influence” in someone’s life.
He also made clear that he was not claiming to speak for the Sussexes themselves. “I’m not here to speak for Harry and Meghan,” he said while explaining that his concern applied more broadly to someone who feels subjected to destructive coverage on a daily basis.
Spencer has also said he does not want to choose between Harry and Prince William amid the brothers’ strained relationship and described himself as supportive of both nephews.
The Memoir Includes Disputed Claims About King Charles
Morgan’s response came after several excerpts from Swan Song generated headlines because of Spencer’s recollections of Charles in the days following Diana’s death.
Spencer claims that the then-Prince of Wales sounded “giddily elated” during a telephone call after Diana died in the August 1997 car crash in Paris.
He also recounts a heated disagreement over funeral arrangements in which he says Charles told him, “We’ll forget her soon enough.”
Buckingham Palace challenged Spencer’s account in a rare public response. A spokesperson said the King was mindful that “the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory” even many years after a loss.
Spencer subsequently accused the King of “gaslighting” him and compared the Palace response with the late Queen Elizabeth II’s “recollections may vary” statement following Harry and Meghan’s 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey.
He maintains that his recollection is accurate and has said he is “telling the truth.”
The disputed conversations were private, and no recording has been made public. The available accounts therefore consist of Spencer’s recollection and Buckingham Palace’s rejection of its reliability.
Spencer Calls ‘Swan Song’ His Most Personal Book
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Spencer has described Swan Song: Diana, My Sister as the most personal of the ten books he has written.
He has said the approaching 30th anniversary of Diana’s death contributed to his decision to write it, particularly as requests for interviews increased and accounts of his sister’s life continued circulating that he believed were inaccurate.
Spencer has characterized the memoir as a brother’s account rather than a conventional royal biography. He said recording the audiobook gave him the feeling that he had finally expressed what he wanted to say about Diana and has stated that he believes she would have approved of the project.
The book covers their childhood, Diana’s marriage, her relationship with the press, the circumstances surrounding her death and Spencer’s memories of the funeral and its planning.
Swan Song: Diana, My Sister is scheduled for publication on September 22.