Royal family news live: King to make first appearance after ‘unprecedented’ response to Earl Spencer’s book claims

'Grief can cloud reason': Buckingham Palace hits back at claims made by Earl Spencer

Buckingham Palace has hit back at claims made in an upcoming bombshell memoir written by Princess Diana’s brother Earl Spencer, saying that the King believes “grief can cloud reason”.

The book, which is set to be serialised in the Daily Mail, alleges that in the days after Diana’s death, King Charles had said “rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough”.

Charles, who was Prince of Wales at the time, made the apparent remarks to Earl Spencer during a major dispute over funeral arrangements after Diana died in a car crash in Paris on 31 August 1997.

A palace spokesman 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.”