Robert Jobson Challenges Earl Spencer’s Narrative: King Charles Was ‘Devastated’ After Diana’s Death
As the public war of words between King Charles III and Earl Spencer intensifies over serialized claims from Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, royal biographer and historian Robert Jobson has challenged the portrayal of Charles as cold and indifferent following the Princess of Wales’s death in August 1997.
Writing for The Sun, the author of Our King: Charles III revealed a candid, 12-word remark Charles made to a trusted royal confidant in the days following the Paris tragedy, presenting a counterpoint to Spencer’s claims of an insensitive reaction.
The Confession at Gatehouse Lodge
According to Jobson, Charles did not treat the news with casual detachment. In deep distress, the then-Prince of Wales sought out William ‘Billy’ Tallon—the Queen Mother’s longtime steward and confidant—at Gatehouse Lodge in Windsor Great Park:
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The 12 Words: Speaking privately to Tallon while visibly shaken, Charles reflected on the tragic collapse of their marriage:“You know, we were very much in love in the early days.”
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Eye-Witness to Grief: Jobson, who covered Diana’s funeral service inside Westminster Abbey in September 1997, rejected the notion that Charles was dismissive:“In reality, Charles was devastated after Diana’s death… [He] looked close to tears, very emotional throughout. Heartbroken. The way he conducted himself did not suggest he was a man dismissive of England’s Rose.”
Fighting for Diana’s Posthumous Dignity
Jobson noted that Charles’s immediate actions following the car crash demonstrated institutional advocacy rather than neglect:
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Royal Aircraft Deployment: When protocol officials initially argued against sending an aircraft of the Queen’s Flight to Le Bourget because Diana had lost her Her Royal Highness (HRH) status following the 1996 divorce, Charles intervened directly to ensure the jet was dispatched so he could escort her coffin home personally.
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Full Ceremonial Funeral: Charles successfully pushed for Diana to receive a formal ceremonial royal funeral at Westminster Abbey with full state honors, rejecting initial suggestions from courtiers that she receive a private family burial.
Contextualizing the ‘Filthy Temper’ and Heated Words
Addressing Spencer’s claim that Charles told him over the phone, “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough,” Jobson acknowledged that high emotions and Charles’s known temperament could have resulted in volatile exchanges:
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Heat of the Moment:“Charles can have a filthy temper… It flares up, it doesn’t last long, and he doesn’t hold grudges. He apologises soon afterwards. But he can say things in the heat of the moment, and it shouldn’t be dismissed that this could have been said. Funerals are one of the most emotional times for any family, royal or not.”
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A Clash of Grief: Spencer and Charles had long endured a strained relationship. In an atmosphere thick with grief, anger, and disputes over whether young Prince William (15) and Prince Harry (12) should walk behind the gun carriage, Jobson argues that any isolated outbursts must be evaluated within the pressure-cooker context of that week.
With Swan Song slated for global release on September 22, the competing accounts highlight how deeply the events of 1997 continue to divide the royal household and the Spencer family nearly three decades later.
