Prince Harry & Meghan face Diana‑style backlash, says Spencer

**Earl Spencer Says Public Treatment of Harry and Meghan Mirrors That of Princess Diana**

Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl and brother of the late Princess Diana, said in a BBC Sunday interview that the way Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are being treated by the media echoes how his sister was treated before her death.

He added that people should learn from Diana’s experience, pointing to the “cancerous” criticism directed at the Duke of Sussex and Duchess of Sussex.

In the same interview, Spencer described Diana’s death in August 1997 at age 36 in a high‑speed car crash in Paris while being pursued by paparazzi. He noted that the press had been cruel towards her, and he feels that a similar pattern is emerging for Harry and Meghan.

The comment comes as his forthcoming memoir, *Swan Song: Diana, My Sister*, is slated for publication this week.

The story of how the Spencer family has responded to royal media scrutiny reaches back to the 1997 crash. Prince Charles (now King Charles III) was then divorced from Diana, and . The Earl’s claims have prompted a rebuttal from the monarch, who said that grief can distort memory even many years later.

## Background & Context

Princess Diana’s death in 1997 was the result of a fatal car crash in Paris, where paparazzi were pursuing her vehicle. She was only 36 when she died, and her untimely passing sparked an intense media frenzy that many felt had contributed to her tragic end.

The Earl Spencer has long spoken publicly about how the relentless press coverage took a toll on his sister, describing it as “really brought low” by the spotlight.

Fast forward to recent years: Prince Harry married Meghan Markle in 2018, and the couple became embroiled in a series of controversies, including their 2020 departure from the United Kingdom and a brief return to England last month.

The media coverage of Harry and Meghan has been intense, with many commentators noting how unrelenting criticism can be damaging.

Spencer’s forthcoming book, *Swan Song: Diana, My Sister*, aims to provide an intimate look at his sister’s life and death. The title itself references a well‑known phrase associated with the royal family, underscoring the family’s close connection to the monarchy’s public narrative.

The book was released on Tuesday of the week in which this article was written.

## What People Are Saying

During the BBC interview, Spencer said: “If you look at an article in a tabloid about Diana or the couple that you’re mentioning,

Harry and Meghan, they can be really, really unpleasant.” He added that the criticism was “cancerous” and that anyone being “destroyed in this way daily” must be under a “cancerous influence.” The 62‑year‑old clarified that he was not there “to speak for” Harry or Meghan.

Harry himself has made similar comparisons. In his 2021 AppleTV+ series *The Me You Can’t See*, he remarked: “You want to talk about history repeating itself — they’re not going to stop until [Meghan] dies.

It’s incredibly triggering to potentially lose another woman in my life, but the list is growing… it all comes back to the same people, the same business model, the same industry.” He also praised Meghan’s compassion, empathy, confidence, and warmth.

Spencer claims that King Charles III said “giddily elated like a lottery winner” after Diana’s crash and vowed that her memory would be “forgotten soon enough.” The King’s spokesperson released a statement saying that grief can cloud reason and color memory long after loss.

Spencer insisted he was telling the truth about these alleged remarks and said he had no surprise at the AppleTV+ comments.

## What Happens Next

The book *Swan Song: Diana, My Sister* is available in stores and online as of Tuesday. Its excerpts have already generated headlines, with some claiming to reveal new insights into the royal family’s inner workings.

Spencer said that the rumors circulating online were not a shock to Harry, who had reportedly been briefed on the memoir’s content beforehand.

Following the publication, the public and media will likely scrutinize both Spencer’s claims about King Charles III and his own portrayal of Diana’s life. The monarch’s rebuttal may prompt further commentary from royal family members or press outlets.

Meanwhile, Harry and Meghan’s continued presence in media circles may continue to evoke comparisons drawn by Spencer and others.

The narrative surrounding the Spencer family remains a sensitive topic, with the new memoir bringing fresh scrutiny to both the past and present of the royal household. The story continues to unfold as readers digest the details released this week.