Prince Harry is turning his attention to the Invictus Games after Buckingham Palace issued an unusually pointed response to a claim made by his maternal uncle, Charles Spencer, about King Charles and the aftermath of Princess Diana’s death.

The Duke of Sussex is due to attend the inaugural Invictus Spirit Awards in London on Thursday, September 17, an event celebrating people whose courage and service have made an impact on the Invictus community.

Earl Spencer’s memoir reignites an old royal family dispute

The development comes as Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer and Diana’s younger brother, prepares to publish his memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister.

The book is scheduled for worldwide release on September 22 and recounts Spencer’s personal memories of his sister, including a tense exchange he says took place with the then-Prince Charles in the days following Diana’s death in 1997.

According to an excerpt from the memoir, Spencer claims that the conversation took place during a dispute over Diana’s funeral arrangements. He had objected to Princes William and Harry, then aged 15 and 12, walking behind their mother’s coffin during the procession.

Spencer says he was initially told by one of Queen Elizabeth II’s senior aides that the boys would take part. He reportedly responded that it would not happen because he believed Diana would not have wanted her young sons placed in such a highly emotional public role.

A subsequent phone call with Charles, according to Spencer’s account, became heated. It was during that conversation that he alleges the then-Prince of Wales told him Diana would be forgotten “soon enough.”

Spencer describes himself as being stunned by the alleged remark. The account has drawn renewed attention to the difficult period surrounding Diana’s death and funeral, almost three decades later.

It is important to note that the statement is Spencer’s recollection of events. Buckingham Palace has not accepted his version of the conversation.

Buckingham Palace issues an unusual response

The Palace generally does not comment on claims contained in books, but it issued a statement after details from Spencer’s memoir became public.

A Buckingham Palace spokesperson 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.”

The wording represents a challenge to Spencer’s recollection without providing a point-by-point account of what happened during the alleged conversation.

The Palace response has brought renewed focus to the differing memories of the events that followed Diana’s death, particularly the decisions surrounding her funeral and the role played by her sons.

Diana died in a car crash in Paris in August 1997, aged 36. Her funeral took place the following month, with William and Harry walking behind their mother’s coffin alongside other members of the family.

Harry keeps his focus on the Invictus community

Amid the renewed attention on the Spencer memoir and the Palace response, Harry has continued with his scheduled Invictus commitments.

The Invictus Games Foundation announced that the first Invictus Spirit Awards would take place in London on September 17. The organization said the event would recognize people whose “courage, commitment and contribution” have made a lasting difference to the Invictus Movement.

The announcement described the ceremony as a celebration of resilience and dedication within the international Invictus community.

Harry founded the Invictus Games, an international sporting event for wounded, injured and sick service personnel and veterans. The first Games were held in London in 2014, and preparations are now underway for the 2027 edition in Birmingham.

The September 17 ceremony forms part of a series of public engagements Harry has scheduled in Britain this month. He is also due to attend the WellChild Awards in London on September 21.

For now, neither Harry nor Prince William has publicly responded to the specific claim made by their uncle in Swan Song: Diana, My Sister. The controversy remains centered on Spencer’s account of his conversation with the then-Prince Charles and Buckingham Palace’s response concerning the reliability of memories shaped by grief.