Prince Harry was ‘allowed to spin out of control’ after mother’s death, Earl Spencer claims | The IndependentSkip to contentSwipe for next articleIndependent Bulletin homepageDownload our appAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleWant to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.Subscribe`; document.body.appendChild(modal); modal.addEventListener('click', () => { document.cookie = 'mos-plan-select=; Max-Age=0; path=/; expires=Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 UTC;'; }); modal.querySelector('.subscribe-link')?.addEventListener('click', (e) => { e.preventDefault(); document.cookie = 'mos-plan-select=; Max-Age=0; path=/; expires=Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 UTC;'; setTimeout(() => { window.location.href = 'https://www.independent.co.uk/subscribe/app'; }, 500); });});]]>Bryony Gooch & Harriette BoucherFriday 18 September 2026 18:02 BSTKing Charles issues rare response to Earl Spencer’s Diana book claimsEarl Spencer has claimed in excerpts from his memoir, 'Swan Song: Diana, My Sister', that a “lack of obvious care” for Prince Harry following Princess Diana's death left him without nurture, which “allowed him spin out of control”.The Earl defended his assertion that King Charles sounded “giddily elated – like a lottery winner” during a phone call shortly after Diana's death, insisting to the BBC he is telling the truth despite Buckingham Palace responding that “grief can cloud reason”.In further extracts, Earl Spencer questioned King Charles’s prominent presence at Princess Diana's funeral, arguing that an ex-husband from a bitterly collapsed marriage had no place at the ceremony.Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch responded to the claims by publicly siding with the King, stating she is “always on the side of His Majesty” and echoing Buckingham Palace's response.Meanwhile, Prince Harry made his first public appearance since returning to Britain, addressing military veterans at the Invictus Spirit Awards in London and describing his return as “eventful” but wonderful.In fullRoyal family news live: Earl Spencer claims ‘lack of care’ after Diana’s death led Harry to ‘spin out of control’More bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in