An unnamed source cited by a British celebrity publication indicated that Catherine, Princess of Wales, has been advising Prince William to keep his distance from the renewed attention surrounding family history, which resurfaced following the release of a memoir by Earl Spencer, Princess Diana's brother. No statement from Kensington Palace had been issued, and the details in the account remained unverified.
Those details trace back to "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister," a memoir written by Charles Spencer — who holds the title of 9th Earl Spencer — that Penguin Press brought out in the United States on 22 September. The book was subsequently referenced by Heat World before being taken up by entertainment outlets in the United States.
An unnamed source cited by Heat World indicated that Catherine has advised William to avoid any public response to the dispute surrounding the book, with the source characterising her position as one of urging him to take a restrained approach similar to his father's. According to that source, she conveyed to those around her that becoming entangled in the controversy was not an option, urging them instead to keep their attention on upholding the institution and conducting themselves with composure.
A source close to William told reporters that he appeared to be under considerable pressure at the time, with visible signs of strain noted by those around him. According to an unnamed source, he is said to be carrying concerns about his father's wellbeing, uncertainty over where the monarchy is headed, and apprehension about the choices his brother may make going forward.
An unnamed source indicated that William finds it uncomfortable when coverage of his deceased mother resurfaces in the press, and reportedly expressed that revisiting those events publicly is unwelcome to him, with Harry's perceived alignment with the Spencer side of the family adding to that discomfort. No independent verification of the reported private exchanges has been established, and Prince Harry's involvement in the book in question has not been publicly confirmed.
"Swan Song" represents the first occasion on which Earl Spencer has written at length about his sister, whose life ended in a Paris road collision in August 1997. The royal family seldom addresses such accounts publicly. At the funeral service held at Westminster Abbey, Spencer delivered a tribute that drew broad notice — one addressing criticism toward the press and including a personal commitment to look after her two sons.
The book opens in the Spencer family home where Diana and her siblings spent their formative years, then follows her path through marriage to the man who would later ascend to the throne as King Charles III, weaving together her charitable work and the persistent media scrutiny that ran alongside it — all of it unfolding against the backdrop of her parents' broken marriage. Within its pages, the book levels a number of accusations directed at members of the royal household — with the monarch drawing particular attention — covering both Diana's time in the marriage and the period that followed her death. Opinions on the publication have landed on both sides, with praise from some quarters and reservations from others.
A boarding-school memoir titled "A Very Private School," in which Spencer recounted abuse he said he endured there as a child, was published in 2024.
Television personality Piers Morgan, who has taken an adversarial public stance toward Prince Harry and Meghan, told a news channel that he does not expect the two brothers to mend their relationship, adding that, to his knowledge, the pair have had no contact with one another for a number of years. Morgan stated that William is upset about Harry's behaviour — a position he grounded in Harry's book, the Netflix series, and various podcast appearances, as well as what he described as personal attacks on Catherine, Queen Camilla, and the King — before observing that family members subjected to that kind of sustained public scrutiny are not likely to respond with warmth. Morgan's remarks about Prince William and his brother represent his own perspective, not any position held by the royal family.
The bond between William and Harry has grown more distant since Harry and his wife opted to withdraw from active royal roles at the beginning of 2020 and make their home in California. Three public disclosures have been widely cited in relation to the estrangement: a televised conversation the couple held with Oprah Winfrey in 2021, a Netflix documentary series that followed the next year, and Harry's 2023 memoir "Spare," which detailed private disagreements with his brother — including an account of a physical altercation between them.
In multiple interviews, Harry has expressed a desire to mend ties with members of his family. Visits between him and his father have taken place a number of times, though no public indication of any reconciliation with William has appeared.
British media outlets reported that Harry, Meghan, and their children had moved back to the United Kingdom, with the couple spotted together at a pub in the Cotswolds on 1 October — their first public appearance following the reported move.
The thirtieth anniversary of Diana's death falls in August 2027. Reports carried by multiple news organisations, drawing on unnamed sources, describe a documentary project Harry is said to be developing around his mother, with Netflix — the streaming platform that already holds a production deal with the Sussexes — named as a possible partner in the venture. No formal announcement covering the initiative has been made public.
A broadcast outlet reported in August that an unnamed individual described as being close to the royal household told the outlet that William harbours reservations about working with Netflix, a stance tied in part to the platform's drama "The Crown," which drew objections from various commentators over how it depicted the royal family. That same individual also told the outlet that William views any association between his brother and that company as a matter of personal concern, particularly given the project's connection to their late mother. Neither brother, nor anyone acting on their behalf, has stepped forward to verify those assertions.
Neither Kensington Palace, acting on behalf of William and Catherine, nor those speaking for Harry had offered any public comment on the most recent reports. Buckingham Palace has long held to a policy of not responding to books, tabloid coverage, or allegations attributed to unnamed sources.
Catherine's public schedule has centred on her philanthropic commitments and the resumption of royal duties following cancer treatment, with family controversies drawing little public involvement from her. The memoir's continued presence in news coverage points to an enduring public interest in Diana nearly three decades on from her death, alongside an ongoing rift between her two sons.
