Earl Spencer's no-holds-barred attack is a big threat for the royalspublished at 20:30 BST

20:30 BST

Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent

Earl Spencer’s book seems to be a no-holds-barred personal attack on the King and the royals.

But how much damage will it do to their reputation?

We’ve not seen the whole book yet, but so far the claims have been about Earl Spencer’s interpretation of the King’s intentions and his tone, in the wake of Diana’s death. There haven’t been damning new pieces of evidence.

Buckingham Palace has rejected the claims and is now standing back, perhaps sensing that the public might see it as salacious gossip rather than a history.

But today is also a reminder of the level of public interest in the royals as drama and soap opera.

A raft of worthy royal engagements were brushed aside – including the King talking about AI and Prince William and Catherine supporting the community on the Isle of Bute. Prince Harry also appeared at an Invictus awards ceremony.

Perhaps the biggest threat for the royals was not being taken seriously.

You can read more about today's developments in our news story.

Matt Spivey
Live editor

Image source, Reuters

Three teams of royals were out in public today as King Charles III, the Prince and Princess of Wales, and the Duke of Sussex all made appearances at different events.

In Ayrshire, Scotland, the King warned of the "existential danger" of AI falling into the wrong hands while hosting a summit with industry leaders, politicians and a Vatican adviser.

Then came a shift in tone as Prince William and Catherine made their first visit to the Isle of Bute in Rothesay, Scotland.

The pair played the traditional game of shinty at the Bute Shinty Club before litter-picking on a beach and stopping off at a local pub.

Image source, Getty Images

Before Prince Harry's Invictus awards ceremony got under way, the day's engagements were overshadowed by new claims from Earl Spencer, Princess Diana's brother.

A new extract from his book, which is being serialised in the Daily Mail before its release on Tuesday, claims the King (then Prince Charles) sounded "elated" at the news of Diana's death and that he told Diana he was not in love with her before their wedding.

It comes a day after Earl Spencer claimed in another extract from his book, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, that the King said"we'll forget her soon enough" days after Diana's death.

Yesterday, Buckingham Palace responded to the claims with a firm rebuttal: "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 colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss."

In light of the latest claims, the Palace has pointed back to the same comment.

We'll shortly be bringing our live coverage to an end, but in our next post royal correspondent Sean Coughlan will unpack the dramatic turn of events for the Royal Family.

Olga Malchevska
At the Invictus awards ceremony in London

Over in Greenwich, Prince Harry has been mingling with guests at an Invictus-related awards ceremony.

Among those attending are Ukraine's former deputy defence minister Alina Frolova and war veteran Andrii Kucher, two members of Invictus Games Team Ukraine.

Andrii - who turned to sport after being injured in combat during Russia’s full-scale invasion - is one of the nominees of the Invictus Movement Award, along with the fellow Ukrainian Horbach, who couldn’t attend due to an injury.

Andrii says he is not here not for the award, but to show that Ukrainians “don’t give up even after being injured”, and to thank the UK, Invictus Games and Prince Harry’s team for their support.

"Our team respects diplomacy of every country and family, these are the values we are fighting for", the veteran says.

"Harry and his Invictus Team turn to the injured soldiers like me exactly when they are needed the most - when they can’t pull themselves together after the injury, seeing no future," he says.

Team Ukraine is one of the event's largest, having participated for nearly 10 years, Frolova says.

She says Ukraine is bidding to host the Games in 2031 - and hopes that Russia’s war will end as soon as possible.

Image source, Getty Images

Earl Spencer, the younger brother of Princess Diana, has made a number of claims about King Charles in the aftermath of Princess Diana's death in excerpts from his new book.

Here's what the earl has claimed:

• In an excerpt released on Wednesday, Spencer claimed the King said "we'll forget her soon enough" about Diana days after her death in August 1997
• He also claims the then-Prince of Wales subjected him to a "stream of anger" after he insisted Diana would not have wanted Princes William and Harry, then aged 15 and 12, to walk in her funeral procession
• In a second excerpt, released earlier this evening, Spencer claims the King sounded "giddily elated – like a lottery winner" in a phone call following the news of Diana's death
• It also includes a claim from a “close friend” of Diana that the then-Prince Charles had told her that he was not in love with her before their wedding

In response to these latest excerpts, Buckingham Palace has referred to the statement it gave on Wednesday refuting Earl Spencer's claims.

"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 colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss," the Palace said yesterday.

Image source, Reuters

Royal commentator Caroline Aston says some of the claims being made by Earl Spencer in excerpts from his book "leave you reeling".

"What a tangled web, the rich tapestry of royal life, with some very sad strands indeed revealed today - you just couldn't make it up," she tells BBC News.

"Starting with this theft of four books from a lorry parked up in the Netherlands, it's almost worthy of Agatha Christie isn't it? The mystery of the missing bombshell books," Aston adds.

She says the claims made in the book, revealed by excepts published in the Daily Mail, "really leave you reeling, some of it".

"One does feel a degree of sorrow, of course, for the King having to face this and carry on doing his job," Aston says.

She adds that she feels the King has dealt with the incident "rather well" by issuing the "unprecedented statement" in which he talks about the "pain of fraternal grief" and how it can cloud reason and affect judgement.

Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent

In terms of the responses to Earl Spencer’s latest claims – Prince Harry’s representatives say they are not commenting.

And Buckingham Palace is pointing back to yesterday’s firm rebuttal about the book, in which a spokesman said: "The pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgement and colour memory in ways others do not recognise."

We’ve yet to hear from Earl Spencer, although it’s likely that interviews will be in the pipeline as the book’s publication approaches.

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Prince Harry has arrived at an Invictus event in London.

It follows a busy day for the Royals, as the King held an AI summit with industry leaders in Scotland and the Prince and Princess of Wales visited Bute, Scotland, for the first time.

Prince Harry has been joined by other attendees - but his wife Meghan has not joined him at the event.

Image source, Reuters

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As we've been reporting, the Duke of Sussex is now in Greenwich, south London, for the first edition of the Invictus Spirit Awards.

The ceremony is being held at the at Old Royal Naval College, a Unesco World Heritage site designed by Sir Christopher Wren. It's Prince Harry's first official engagement since returning to the UK.

The Invictus Games are an international sporting event for wounded, injured and sick military personnel. Prince Harry established the games, with the first edition held in 2014.

The award aims to recognise "those who have achieved great things, lifted others up, overcome adversity, advanced sport for recovery, or demonstrated outstanding commitment to the Invictus Movement".

Noor Nanji
Royal correspondent in Greenwich

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Prince Harry has arrived at an Invictus-related awards ceremony in Greenwich, London, as a row deepens over Earl Spencer’s book on Diana.

As he entered the venue, a journalist asked him how he was feeling about his uncle's book. Harry did not respond but walked past.

This is the duke's first big event since moving back to the UK - and we know it’s a cause he cares deeply about.

The awards aim to recognise those who have inspired and strengthened the Invictus community.

His wife, Meghan, did not join him here.

There had been speculation that we would see the couple together tonight - but plans appear to have changed.

Sources close to the Sussex family say settling Archie and Lilibet into a new routine is a priority, and Meghan is focusing on that instead of joining her husband tonight.

It's unclear how the public will receive Earl Spencer's latest claimspublished at 18:24 BST

18:24 BST

Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent

These are some brutal claims being made in Earl Spencer’s book, giving his view on his conversation with the then Prince Charles after Diana’s death.

Grief affects people differently and people can fall out at times of such strong emotion and tension and despair – and they can remember things differently. None of us were there to know whose version is the more accurate.

It’s another perspective on those events, from Diana’s brother, which people might want to hear, but in the end it’s the author’s interpretation of someone else’s feelings.

What’s less clear is how the public might receive these very personal claims – such as the suggestion that Charles sounded “elated” at Diana’s death. It’s a strong allegation to make about a terrible moment for any family. Will it seem a bit grubby to make these claims and to air them in public?

In terms of what opinion polls can tell us – a YouGov poll on yesterday’s claim by Earl Spencer about Charles’s comments found people divided, with 31% believing Earl Spencer’s account, 36% disbelieving him and 33% saying they didn’t know.

Earl Spencer launches direct and personal criticism of the Kingpublished at 18:12 BST

18:12 BST

Daniela Relph
Senior royal correspondent

I've just read the latest extract from Earl Spencer's new book.

The overall theme is one of intense, personal and direct criticism of the King - or the Prince of Wales as he was back then.

Earl Spencer says he felt the King's reaction to Diana's death was one of elation, as he alleges "the prince’s first reaction must have been to think more of how this event might free him to marry the woman he loved, rather than appreciating the loss of one he did not".

Spencer also recounts conversations around the planning of the funeral, which at times he felt pushed out of despite being Diana's brother.

Then, there's the row over who should walk behind Diana's coffin.

The two sons, Harry and William, did of course. But Earl Spencer also says he agreed to walk behind the coffin with them because he believed that is what courtiers wanted, because they were worried that "if Prince Charles walked alone, members of the public might shout abuse at him".

There were also some details about Diana's health.

He believes she had ADHD, linked to her eating disorders. He also said there were times when Diana went to Beachy Head in east Sussex - the highest chalk sea cliff in England - where she is said to have contemplated "ending it all".

Buckingham Palace is unlikely to pushback further than yesterday's statement, as it is not their style to get involved in the to and fro of every allegation.

Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

The latest slice of Earl Spencer’s book, which is highly critical of the royals, includes the claim, via a “close friend” of Diana’s, that the then Prince Charles had told her he was not in love with her, before they were married.

There is no identified source to stand up this claim – and Buckingham Palace has pointed to yesterday’s rejection of Earl Spencer’s account.

“On the day of Diana’s wedding I woke early and went to Clarence House, where I found her already in her wedding dress, sitting quietly in front of a mirror,” writes Earl Spencer.

“Only much later would I discover that, as she confided to a close friend, her husband-­to-­be had told her the previous day that she needed to know he was very happy to marry her, but he was not actually in love with her.

“Diana had to absorb that hammer blow while also feeling certain that Prince Charles was entering their marriage with his heart elsewhere.”

The book claims that Diana wanted to call off the wedding, but her father thought she had to go ahead.

“My father was appalled and said it was impossible to pull out of such an enormous commitment at that point,” writes Earl Spencer.

As a reminder, we haven't heard Buckingham Palace's side of this account - but yesterday Palace officials issued a strong rebuttal against the claims in Charles Spencer's book.

Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent

Earl Spencer’s book has delivered another very harsh view of the King's reaction in the wake of the death of Diana, in another extract published by the Daily Mail - suggesting that the then Prince Charles was relieved to be able "marry the woman he loved".

He describes hearing the news about his sister’s death in a car crash, getting phone calls in South Africa, at first getting confused accounts until the bad news was confirmed:

"The phone rang constantly. Prince Charles caught me as I crossed the landing upstairs.

"Unlike my other callers, who were stunned, barely able to articulate their condolences and offers of help, he sounded giddily elated – like a lottery winner, I remember thinking at the time.

"He let me know he had informed William and Harry of their mother’s death, first thing that morning, in their bedrooms at Balmoral. It all sounded strangely matter-of-fact, given the enormity of the disaster.

"Looking back now, I suspect the prince’s first reaction must have been to think more of how this event might free him to marry the woman he loved, rather than appreciating the loss of one he did not. It can be hard to feel too much sympathy for an ex-spouse, or those who care for them profoundly, after bitter divorce.”

We’ve yet to hear Buckingham Palace’s side of this account, although yesterday Palace officials issued a strong rebuttal about the book’s claims.

Image source, Getty Images

A new controversial memoir has sparked a war of words between Buckingham Palace and Earl Spencer, the brother of Princess Diana.

In an excerpt from Swan Song: Diana, My Sister published by the Daily Mail, Earl Spencer accuses King Charles III of insensitively telling him that "we'll soon forget her soon enough" shortly after Diana's death in 1997.

In a rare and strong rebuttal, the Palace said: "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 colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss."

In the memoir, Earl Spencer goes on to allege that the King "unleashed down the phone what I have always taken to be his pent-up contempt for Diana".

Julian Payne, the monarch's former communications secretary, has told the BBC that the King's apparent comments in the book were "just not language that I recognise".

The "highly unusual" statement from the Palace demonstrated the "strength of feeling that there must have been for them to feel that they needed to go out there and correct it", Payne added.

Daniela Relph
Senior royal correspondent

Image source, Getty Images

Earl Spencer has never had a close relationship with the King. But he is close to his nephew Prince Harry especially since his estrangement from the Royal Family.

He attended a Thanksgiving Service at St Paul’s Cathedral in 2024 to mark the 10th anniversary of the Invictus Games with Prince Harry - where Harry could be seen hugging his uncle.

And over the summer, Harry and Meghan and their children stayed on the Spencer family estate, Althorp, in Northamptonshire.

Meghan posted pictures on social media of the family there, including the children holding flowers as they walked towards the grave of their grandmother, Princess Diana

Image source, Getty Images

Prince Harry will spend his evening hundreds of miles away from other royals out today.

He's in London for the first ever Invictus Spirit Awards fundraising event - though Meghan won't be accompanying him.

The event celebrates "individuals, organisations and communities who embody the resilience, service and unconquered spirit at the heart of the international Invictus Movement".

The Invictus Games, an international sporting event for wounded, injured and sick military personnel, were established by Prince Harry. First held in 2014, the next games will be held in Birmingham next year.

Image source, Getty Images

Next up for the Prince and Princess of Wales on their tour of Bute is a pitstop at a local pub.

Settling in for coffee and cake - as well as a half-pint of beer for William - the royals could be seen chatting with pubgoers at the the community-owned Anchor Tavern Pub & Hub in Port Bannatyne.

Image source, Getty Images

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Working v non-working royals: How do the Sussexes fit in?published at 16:31 BST

16:31 BST

Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent

When Prince Harry and Meghan made their surprise return to the UK last month, there would have been a concern among the other royal teams that the returning couple would swallow up all the media attention.

What’s the point of a visit if no one sees it?

There is undoubtedly a public fascination with Harry and Meghan, including among those who have very negative feelings about them.

Would that force other royal appearances off the front pages?

The tension between the Sussexes and other royals is in part a question of how they fit in around the other royals, would their events take away from the efforts of the King and Queen and the Prince and Princess of Wales?

Thursday would have been an interesting experiment in how three different royal teams could be on the road at the same time.

But in the end it was all overtaken by the row over Earl Spencer’s book.

Image source, PA Media

After taking part in a game of shinty - and trying their hands swinging a caman - the Prince and Princess of Wales have made their way to a local beach.

At Ettrick Bay, the couple have been meeting locals and learning about efforts to preserve the island's coastline.

William and Catherine even got their hands dirty during a litter pick, before climbing on board a tractor.

Image source, Reuters

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