Earl Spencer announces book about his sister Diana, aims to counter falsehoods

Sources close to the Spencer family said the manuscript had been in the works for several years. Alongside memories of the family home at Althorp and childhood in Northamptonshire, the Earl also addresses his relationship with Charles and the weeks after the Paris crash, during which he organised the succession of her memory.

Reactions in the United Kingdom

Reactions in the United Kingdom were measured. Some royal commentators welcomed the project, saying it strengthened the family's personal voice. Others questioned whether another book about Diana would merely repeat well-known points and whether the distinction between remembrance and correction would remain transparent to readers.

The publisher announced an accompanying exhibition in Munich for September, set to display original documents from the family archive. According to the plans, readings by the Earl are also scheduled in other European cities, including London and Edinburgh. Whether further dates in Germany would follow remained unclear for now.

Planned accompanying events

In earlier speeches, Charles Spencer had made clear that he views coverage of his sister critically. He had repeatedly stressed that Diana had been surrounded by misinterpretations throughout her life. The new book now takes this line into book form, bringing it together in a single narrative from an eyewitness.

For the book trade, the title joins a long line of Diana works published since 1997. Publishing representatives nevertheless see the family perspective as a unique selling point, since most previous biographies were based on journalistic research or on those who accompanied her, not on the direct memories of a sibling.

Thematic focus

According to unofficial information, the book is also set to address the role of the press in late summer 1997. For this, Spencer is said to have evaluated his own audio recordings, which he made immediately after his sister's death. These recordings have previously been neither publicly accessible nor the subject of earlier publications.

The first edition is to be published in several languages, according to the publisher, including a German translation. The exact title and official publication date have not yet been announced. Regardless, initial bookshop orders have already been accepted.

In the British media, the work is already being tipped as a potential bestseller for the Christmas season. Industry observers point to the sustained public interest in Diana, as well as to her brother's comparatively rare public appearances, which could draw additional attention to the book.