Legal Threat From Piers Morgan Over Earl Spencer’s Memoir Claims

Piers Morgan’s Legal Action

Piers Morgan has announced he will pursue legal action against Earl Charles Spencer over allegations made in Spencer’s upcoming memoir about Princess Diana. The memoir, titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, includes a claim that Morgan was “snarled with annoyance” when asked not to attend Diana’s funeral. According to Spencer, he personally requested newspaper editors to refrain from attending Westminster Abbey after years of intense press scrutiny of Diana. While most editors complied without issue, Spencer notes that Morgan, who was then editor of the Daily Mirror, responded surly.

Morgan has denied Spencer’s claims, labeling them as “demonstrable lies” and stated his intention to take legal measures. The specific details of the legal action are not yet confirmed.

Ongoing Dispute Over Media Behavior

Spencer’s memoir focuses heavily on the invasive media attention Diana received, which he believes had a significant impact on her life. The disagreement between Morgan and Spencer is centered on two points: the specific assertions about Morgan’s reaction in 1997 and the wider dispute over the media’s treatment of Diana and her family.

Spencer’s Allegations About King Charles

Within the book, Spencer also recounts a conversation with King Charles after Diana’s death, claiming Charles sounded “giddily elated.” Spencer asserts Charles suggested, “we’ll forget her soon enough” during a debate about whether Prince William and Prince Harry should walk behind Diana’s coffin.

Buckingham Palace has contested Spencer’s version of events, acknowledging the potential impact of grief on memory and judgment. Despite this, Spencer maintains his stance, having shared details with family and friends previously.

Journalist Richard Kay supported Spencer’s account, recalling Spencer mentioned a “furious row” with Charles. On the other hand, Dame Julia Cleverdon, who has known Charles for decades, challenged Spencer’s description of Charles’s reaction.

Morgan’s Criticism of Spencer

Morgan has also accused Spencer of hypocrisy. He criticized Spencer for condemning the media’s treatment of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle while publishing damaging claims about King Charles. Spencer has compared Harry and Meghan’s press treatment to Diana’s, calling it a “cancerous influence.”

Morgan highlighted this perceived contradiction on social media, suggesting Spencer’s actions mirrored the malign media behavior he was condemning, further noting Charles’s own health battles.

As this dispute unfolds, Spencer’s memoir has also already led to conflict with Buckingham Palace. Meanwhile, Prince Harry has opted not to comment publicly about the memoir at a recent event.