Queen Elizabeth II reportedly offered to restore Princess Diana’s HRH title following her death, the late princess’ brother Earl Spencer has claimed.
The claim appears in Earl Spencer’s new memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, through extracts serialised by the Daily Mail.
Earl Spencer says the late queen’s private secretary, Robert Fellowes, conveyed the proposal during a royal train journey to Althorp. The journey followed Diana’s funeral and ended at her private burial in Northamptonshire.
Diana had lost the title after her 1996 divorce from the then-Prince Charles.
Queen Elizabeth II’s HRH offer to late Princess Diana
According to Earl, his sister had been “dreadfully hurt” when the title was removed. He says that pain shaped his decision to reject the queen’s “well-meaning” gesture.
His view was clear. He believed Diana would have rejected a posthumous award. He writes: “I felt that I knew in my bones how she would view this posthumous award.”
Earl Spencer recalls responding: “That’s very kind of the queen, of course. But what’s the point, Robert? Now? I mean – Diana’s dead.”
Earl viewed the proposal as an inadequate gesture after her death. His account says Fellowes raised it only hours after Earl delivered the funeral eulogy.
The claim rests on Earl’s recollection of a conversation with Fellowes, who died in 2024.
Earl Spencer’s memoir makes further royal claims
The book moves beyond the reported title proposal. Earl Spencer also recounts a funeral dispute over whether William and Harry should walk behind Diana’s coffin.
He says he objected after a senior palace aide told him the princes, who were 15 and 12 at the time, would join the procession. Charles allegedly telephoned minutes later, leading to an argument about duty and Diana’s wishes.
Earl Spencer further claims Charles sounded “giddily elated like a lottery winner” when Diana’s death was announced.
He speculates that Charles may first have considered whether Diana’s death could allow him to marry Camilla. Earl Spencer also alleges Charles said Diana would soon be forgotten during their funeral argument.
These allegations concern Charles’ private reactions and remain contested.
Elsewhere, Earl Spencer claims Diana tried to call off her engagement to Charles. He also writes that he now believes Diana had ADHD.
Those deeply personal assertions are presented as Earl’s recollections in the memoir.
Buckingham Palace answers wider claims about King Charles
Buckingham Palace did not directly address the alleged HRH proposal.
However, the palace did address Earl Spencer’s claim that then-Prince Charles said the alleged words after Diana’s death: “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough!”
After wider allegations emerged, a royal spokesman issued a cautious statement concerning claims against the king. The palace said it generally does not comment on books.
The statement 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.”
Swan Song: Diana, My Sister is due for UK publication next Tuesday and will be translated into 12 languages.
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