Princess Diana made a haunting remark about a funeral parlour just two months before her death.
Her brother Charles Spencer reveals the line in his new memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, which is out now.
The comment came in a thank you message after Diana received birthday flowers on July 1, 1997, when she turned 36. Earl Spencer says a family member sent the bouquet, which helped fill her home with flowers.
Princess Diana’s ‘funeral’ remark weeks before her death
As reported by Page Six, her words were light-hearted: “I’ve been so lucky! My house is so full of gorgeous flowers that the place looks like a funeral parlour!”
The timing gives the light-hearted line a deeply poignant edge. The Princess of Wales died in a Paris car crash on August 31, 1997. Her funeral took place days later on September 6.
Just two months after Diana’s comment, Earl Spencer was trying to find suitable words for his sister’s funeral.
He recalled: “Now here I was, just two months later, trying to write something suitable for her funeral.”
Princess Diana’s final meeting with Charles Spencer
Charles Spencer’s memoir also describes an unexpected encounter at London’s Tate Gallery shortly after Diana’s birthday.
He checked whether she had enjoyed her birthday and safely received his present. The siblings hugged before returning to their respective tables for food. It proved to be their last meeting.
Looking back, Earl Spencer wrote: “We had only that brief chat, never to see each other again.”
Charles Spencer revisits Princess Diana’s funeral
Beyond the birthday message, the memoir revisits decisions surrounding Princess Diana’s funeral.
In the book, Diana’s brother describes a heated telephone call with the then Prince of Wales after Diana’s death in 1997. He claims Charles said: “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough!”
At Diana’s funeral, Earl Spencer walked behind her coffin alongside Charles.
Diana and Charles’ sons Princes William and Harry joined their father, Prince Philip and Spencer in the procession. The group travelled on foot from Kensington Palace to Westminster Abbey.
Spencer says he did not want Diana’s sons to walk behind their mother’s coffin. He claims the disagreement led to an angry telephone exchange with the then-Prince Charles.
Buckingham Palace challenges a separate Charles Spencer claim
The memoir’s wider claims have also drawn a public response from Buckingham Palace. That response followed Spencer’s allegation that King Charles said Diana would soon be forgotten.
A palace spokesperson said it generally does not comment on books.
Read more: Princess Diana’s brother makes heartbreaking comment about William and Harry’s rift
It added: “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 response concerned that separate allegation, rather than Diana’s birthday message.
Swan Song: Diana, My Sister is available now.
So what do you think of this story? You can leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know.