King seen for first time after fiery row erupts with Diana’s brother over incendiary claims in bombshell memoir

THE King has been seen for the first time amid a fiery row with Princess Diana’s brother over bombshell claims Charles said “rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough”. The incendiary allegations in Earl Spencer’s memoir saw him locked in a sensational war of words with Buckingham Palace last night. King Charles attends a conference of leaders from the AI sector Credit: AFP The monarch walks with DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis (centre) and Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang (right) Credit: POOL/AFP via Getty Images In his book Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, the Earl, 62, claims the then-Prince Charles made the comment during an explosive row over Diana’s funeral. However, a spokesman for the King hit back: “The pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory.” Sign up for the Royals newsletter Thank you! However, Charles, 77, appeared in good spirits today at a meeting with AI leaders at Dumfries House in Scotland – which serves as the headquarters for The King’s Foundation. The monarch arrived at the event in East Ayrshire, dressed in a dark grey suit. read more on the war of words The King making an important speech about AI Credit: Reuters It comes after an extraordinary allegation in Earl Spencer’s memoir saw him locked in a sensational war of words with Buckingham Palace Credit: PA Charles met the bosses of Nvidia, Anthropic, Google DeepMind and OpenAI, along with a representative from the Vatican, minister for AI Kanishka Narayan and others. In a speech opening the event, he said that new technology should be in the “service of humanity, community and the natural world”. Charles warned of the “existential dangers” of AI systems falling into the wrong hands, as he addressed tech leaders. He said: “Ladies and Gentlemen, I suppose we might readily agree that the development of AI – its substance and its pace – are both intriguing and deeply concerning in equal measure. Most read in Royals “AI is already showing its immense capacity to improve and save life – for example, in the field of life sciences and medicine. “Yet, those who have created these technologies are now increasingly warning that AI risks developing darker capacities – perhaps even to take life. “Surely, we need sufficient means of control before it is all too late? “Those in our world who value deeply our humanity and its vital moral component are anxiously seeking your reassurance that we will not lose control of our destiny, or our souls.” Charles walking with Mr Huang at Dumfries House in Cumnock, Scotland Credit: AFP The Earl claims the then-Prince Charles made the comment during an explosive row over Diana’s funeral Credit: Getty – contributor The King went on to say that “humanity must remain sacred” as artificial intelligence technologies continue to develop. It comes after Di’s brother says they clashed over whether Princes William and Harry, then 15 and 12, should walk behind her coffin in September 1997. The tell-all memoir, titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, vows to lift the lid on her marriage to Charles, “untruths” and her tragic death. Throughout their lives together, the siblings shared a close relationship, which they held up until Diana tragically died in a car crash in 1997. And among the latest bombshell claims, he says the King’s alleged dig showed his “pent-up contempt” for his ex-wife. The Earl claims he was told by a senior Palace aide that the princes would walk behind her coffin, to which he replied: “That’s not going to happen”. He says Charles phoned minutes later, before allegedly questioning the Spencer family’s sense of duty and referencing his own role at his great-uncle Lord Mountbatten’s funeral in 1979. Charles shakes hands with Dame Antonia Romeo during a meeting for leaders Credit: AP Di’s brother says they clashed over whether Princes William and Harry, then 15 and 12, should walk behind her coffin Credit: Getty The Earl’s suggestion that Diana would not have wanted her young sons to endure such a public ordeal was met with fury, it is claimed. He writes: “Prince Charles continued his stream of anger without me interrupting. “Then he stopped. I assumed the pause signalled an effort to bring himself under control. “But then he unleashed down the phone what I have always taken to be his pent-up contempt for Diana, and his horror that the world was so bowled over by her death. “’Rest assured’, he hissed, ‘we’ll forget her soon enough!’” But last night, a Palace spokesperson firmly denied the incendiary claims. They 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 judgement and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss.” It echoes the late Queen’s “recollections may vary” response to claims of racism by Harry and Meghan in an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2021. Referencing his infamous eulogy at her funeral at Westminster Abbey, Charles said he wanted to tell the ‘truth’ in the book Credit: Alamy The Earl says the King’s alleged dig showed his ‘pent-up contempt’ for his ex-wife Credit: Getty Royal expert Ingrid Seward said Diana would be “horrified” by the claims in her brother’s book and described the Earl as “bitter”. Writing in The Sun, she said: “I think Diana would be horrified that her brother would reveal this remark by Charles. “When I last met her six weeks before her death, she was adamant that she and Charles really loved each other. “And it was so important to her that their children knew that. “I understand that her brother needs to tell his side of the story, but his interpretation is going to be more fiery than anyone else is. “I think he is bitter and he certainly knows how to hold a grudge. “And in my opinion he has not been careful enough in what he has chosen to reveal here.” Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, is set to be published next week, ahead of the 30th anniversary of the late Princess’ tragic death. 1 comment1