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 in the wake of 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 a 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.

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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

Image source, Getty Images

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Matt Spivey
Live page editor

Image source, Reuters

It's been a "special day" for Craig Harrower, secretary of Bute Shinty Club. He's not only met the Prince and Princess of Wales, but has walked them through the sport of shinty during their first visit to Bute in Rothesay, Scotland.

William and Catherine, who hold the titles of Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, had a guided tour of the club before taking part in a penalty shootout against one of the club's goalkeepers.

William may have had the upper hand, as he told Harrower he'd seen the game during his time at St Andrew's University, where he met Catherine.

But Catherine shows more promise, Harrower says, and jokes that Prince William will need some more practice.

He tells me it's "special for them to come to us" and it was a "great experience" to explain to the royals how the sport is played, and how the club operates by raising money to support itself as a registered charity.

"They're really grounded and wanted to meet and greet the people - they were trying to meet and acknowledge as many people as they can, a lovely couple," Harrower says.

He played the sport as a child and, after returning from the army, joined the club to "give back". Now, with royalty having graced the muddy pitch, he says it's brilliant to put shinty on the map.

What do you do after meeting Royals, I ask him. "I don't know, but we've got cake and sandwiches," he says.

Image source, PA Media

Daniela Relph
Senior royal correspondent

Image source, EPA

We will see Prince Harry later today but don’t expect to see Meghan alongside him.

There had been speculation that we would see the couple together tonight - the first time that would have happened in the UK since the funeral of the late Queen.

But plans appear to have changed. Their children are just a couple of days into starting a new school after security concerns forced a school change early on in the term.

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

Sean Coughlan
Royal correspondent

Prince William and Catherine are on the road, visiting community projects on the Isle of Bute. They've seen - and taken part in - a traditional game of shinty and later will visit a pub. Cue the inevitable picture of them pulling a pint?

The return of Prince Harry and Meghan to live in the UK has added another set of engagements into the mix - and later we’re expecting to see Harry’s first big event since coming back, with an Invictus awards ceremony.

Even though Harry and Meghan are not working royals carrying out official royal engagements, they’re still likely to get plenty of public interest - and they’ll be jostling for attention with the formal royal visits.

So as well as Harry making an appearance, King Charles has been hosting a big event on the topical subject of artificial intelligence.

He’s warned tech leaders about the need to make sure it can be controlled to help rather than harm humanity. The tech bros will be bringing their pyjamas, as it’s an overnighter at the cosily comfortable Dumfries House in Ayrshire in Scotland.

But, as we mentioned earlier, the argument over Earl Spencer’s book threatens to overshadow what’s already a crowded day of royal events.

Image source, Reuters

The Prince and Princess of Wales have taken to the pitch at Bute Shinty Club to try their hands at the ancient Scottish game of shinty.

The rain and mud couldn't stop the royals from getting to grips with the sport while on a visit in Bute, Scotland - here's a quick guide to shinty.

Image source, Reuters

Imogen James
Live reporter

Image source, reu

Many people in Scotland have spent weekends stood alongside their local shinty pitch, rain or shine, to watch a game. Today, that's the honour for Prince William and Catherine.

Twelve players per side use a curved wooden stick called a caman to play a leather ball. Some players choose to wear full face protective helmets throughout the two 45-minute halves.

It begins with the throw up, where the referee throws the ball in the air between two players, leaving them to wrestle for it.

It's fast, it's physical, it's traditional.

It's a traditional Scottish sport where teams are typically made up of local communities. Most clubs are in the Highlands, but it's not exclusive to that area.

Camanachd (the Scottish Gaelic word for shinty) has pre-medieval origins and was seen as a way to train warriors as it developed similar skills for battle.

Now, it's something that brings local people together, and breathes life into small villages across the Highlands and beyond.

On their visit, William and Catherine said they watched shinty while at St Andrews University, but the prince said it looked a bit "bruising".

Image source, Getty Images

Away from the King's summit, it's a rainy start for the Prince and Princess of Wales, who are at the Bute Shinty Club for the first of a series of engagement across the Isle of Bute.

The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, as the couple is known in Scotland, have been meeting with members of the club's junior and senior teams and are watching a game of shinty - we'll have an explainer on what shinty is shortly.

"The shinty club is very much part of the community, it’s used by everybody from the Boys’ Brigade and Highland Games Committee to keep fit clubs," club chairman Barry Martin tells PA.

"It’s right up there with number one honours, especially as they have the title of Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, to have them here."

• For context: Rothesay is the main town on the Isle of Bute

Image source, Reuters

Image source, PA Media

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Lorna Gordon
BBC Scotland correspondent, at Dumfries House

This is the first significant international gathering of senior figures from AI businesses since those concerns came out that AI is developing too quickly to keep control of.

Among the representatives gathering here are senior figures from companies including Nvidia, Google DeepMind, OpenAI and Anthropic.

There are also Chinese representatives taking part.

The location for these talks, Dumfries House, is interesting because it is located in a former coal mining area, an area which has both benefitted and also faced significant challenges from a previous industrial advancements.

And secondly because this is an informal gathering, it's not sponsored by government.

The aim is to encourage open discussion, a sharing of knowledge, and open debate between these senior industry representatives and AI experts.

We are told King Charles wants the talks to focus on two questions: How can the benefits of AI be harnessed with safety at its heart, and also how to build international cooperation and consensus so that no nation is left behind as AI progresses at pace.

King brings rivals together, but will summit produce anything concrete?published at 13:48 BST

13:48 BST

Shiona McCallum
Senior technology reporter, at Dumfries House

Image source, Reuters

While the Prince and Princess of Wales undertake engagements in the Isle of Bute, let's look at what King Charles's AI summit means.

Here at Dumfries House, the King has met and addressed some of the people leading the development of AI.

As he greeted senior execs from Anthropic and OpenAI, he joked: “you are rivals aren’t you?” The room laughed.

But that brief exchange went to the heart of what the King has achieved by convening this gathering, whose guest list has been in the works for around six months.

The companies represented here are commercial competitors and there are significant differences between their thoughts on how quickly AI should advance and who should oversee its safety.

Some industry leaders now argue development of the most powerful AI systems should be deliberately slowed to allow safeguards to catch up.

But Nvidia boss Jensen Huang, also in the room, takes a different position - he says companies should continue moving quickly, holding back individual products if they believe they are unsafe.

The King cannot regulate this tech. He is attempting to bring rivals together and explore whether they can develop shared principles that keep AI in the service of humanity.

The real meat of the discussions are taking place privately. The question is whether today’s workshops will actually produce anything concrete.

Image source, PA Media

While King Charles opens the AI summit, elsewhere in Scotland, Prince William and Catherine are visiting the Isle of Bute.

They're first meeting the Bute Shinty Club, where the traditional Scottish sport has been played for generations.

In Scotland, the pair are known as the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay, which is the main town on Bute.

Their first official visit to the island aims to highlight the power of community and connection.

They will also visit a community-owned pub and hear about those working to protect the island's natural environment.