Prince Harry lacked support after Princess Diana's death: Earl Spencer

The new memoir from Earl Spencer is reopening painful questions about the days after Princess Diana's death, particularly how a young Prince Harry was cared for in the immediate aftermath. 

In excerpts from Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, Spencer has said he witnessed a "lack of obvious care" for his 12-year-old nephew in the days after Diana's funeral in 1997.'

The train journey to Althorp, the Spencer family estate where Diana was buried, stands out as a particularly vivid memory for Spencer. He recalled Prince Harry appearing overwhelmed and isolated after the emotional public funeral procession, writing that instead of receiving comfort during such a difficult moment, Prince Harry was largely left to process his grief on his own. 

Spencer says he's continued to reflect on that moment over the years, wondering whether more support at the time could have shaped Prince Harry's later struggles differently.

Also included in the excerpts is a claim that King Charles told Spencer, shortly after Diana's death, that she would be forgotten "soon enough." Spencer has stood firmly behind the quote, telling the BBC he's confident in its accuracy. 

Buckingham Palace hasn't directly denied the remark and instead issued a statement suggesting that grief can affect memory differently for different people over time.