Full Title: Swan Song: Diana, My Sister
A Brother’s Perspective: Spencer recounts Diana’s life through their shared childhood, family relationships, and private conversations, offering an unusually personal account of the late princess
The Final Week: A significant portion of the memoir addresses the events surrounding Diana’s death in Paris on August 31, 1997
The Westminster Abbey Eulogy: Spencer revisits his September 1997 funeral address, in which he publicly challenged the treatment of his sister by the media and royal establishment
Bestseller Recognition: The book reached No. 1 on The New York Times bestseller list

Remembering Diana, Princess of Wales

Swan Song: Diana, My Sister is a memoir by Charles Spencer, the younger brother of Diana, Princess of Wales. Published in September 2026, the book recounts their shared childhood, Diana’s experiences in the royal family, and the circumstances surrounding her death in 1997.

Drawing on personal memories and their lifelong relationship, Spencer presents an intimate portrait of one of the most recognizable figures of the 20th century.

Growing Up in the Spencer Family

Diana and Charles were the youngest children of John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer, and Frances Shand Kydd. Their parents’ separation and divorce shaped their childhood at the family’s Althorp estate, where the siblings developed a particularly close relationship.

Spencer recalls their affection for one another, including their childhood nicknames, Duch and Carlos, while reflecting on the family difficulties that influenced Diana’s character and emotional life.

The Eulogy Heard Around the World

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Diana’s death in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997, prompted an extraordinary international outpouring of grief. At her funeral in Westminster Abbey, Charles Spencer delivered a powerful eulogy criticizing the media’s treatment of his sister and promising to protect her sons, William and Harry.

Nearly three decades later, Swan Song revisits that devastating period and Spencer’s continuing efforts to preserve his sister’s memory.

Fame, Family, and the Royal Spotlight

Diana’s marriage to Prince Charles in 1981 transformed her into an international celebrity, bringing extraordinary public attention to her private life.

Spencer examines the pressures of royal expectations, the breakdown of her marriage, and her increasingly difficult relationship with the British press. Her humanitarian work and growing independence became defining features of her later years, as media interest in her personal relationships continued to intensify.