Princess Diana’s Brother Charles Spencer Claims Her Funeral Wishes Were Denied by Palace

The brother of Princess Diana has claimed some of her wishes were denied after her death in his new book.

Charles Spencer has an upcoming memoir called Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, which is being serialized by the Daily Mail.

On Thursday, September 17, a section published online highlighted how Spencer acted as a go-between for his family and Buckingham Palace in the days after her death as the funeral was planned.

Spencer writes, “Diana remained theirs, in Buckingham Palace’s eyes, even in death. Her family, despite her divorce, were simply expected to fall into line with any royal decisions.”

One issue Spencer recalled was the family’s request for a piece of music, which was denied by the palace.

Spencer recalls, “My sisters knew that Diana had always wanted Mozart’s Requiem to be played for her after her death. But when I passed this on, it was rejected as a possibility: ‘No part of a requiem can be played at a Church of England funeral,’ I was told.

“I later found out that was not the case – the first of several untruths that the authorities would push my way at that time.”

According to a People report, Spencer goes on to write about clashing with King Charles, who was prince at the time, regarding other elements of the funeral.

He felt Diana’s sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, then aged 15 and 12, should not have to walk behind their mother’s coffin and said the idea was “utterly barbaric.”

But Prince Charles felt it was necessary.

“He went nuts,” Spencer writes, as published in the Daily Mail.

“‘That’s the problem with your family. They’ve got no bloody sense of duty!’ he started, before descending into a general rage.”

According to multiple reports, Charles is also claimed to have then said, “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough,” just days after Diana’s death in 1997.

The revelations from the book have overshadowed a number of royal events in recent days.

When asked for comment on the book, Buckingham Palace told People in a statement, “While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and color memory in ways others do not recognize, even many years after such a loss.”