Home / Latest News

Princess Diana Once ‘Slapped’ Her Father For a Heartbreaking Reason: “Don’t You Ever…”

Diana allegedly said, “I got really angry and I, if I remember rightly, I slapped him across the face, and I said, 'That's from all of us.'"

diana slap cover
Princess Diana attends a polo match in New Zealand; (Inset) Diana’s father, Earl Spencer, outside Althorp House. Source: Getty Images| Anwar Hussein; (Inset) Tim Graham Photo Library

Princess Diana greatly suffered in her marriage to Prince Charles as he pursued an affair with long-time flame Camilla Parker Bowles. Diana's sufferings were also exacerbated by the fact that her own parents divorced in 1969 when she was just 7. According to Andrew Morton, author of Diana: Her True Story, the late Princess once even slapped her father over it. Morton claimed that Diana was extremely hurt by her father remarrying another woman without informing his children.

Diana had a difficult childhood marked with loneliness, according to The Express. Born Diana Frances Spencer, she was the fourth child in a family desperate for a male heir. Her parents' marriage was troubled, with her mother, Frances Shand Kydd, having an affair with Peter Shand Kydd, which led to their divorce. In 1976, her father, Edward John Spencer, remarried Raine McCorquodale and Diana was furious that he didn't tell or invite his children to his wedding. In a moment of rage, she slapped him across the face.

According to the Daily Mail, Morton penned that Diana allegedly shared, “I was the little crusader here... and I got really angry and I, if I remember rightly, I slapped him across the face, and I said, 'That's from all of us, for hurting us' and walked out and slammed the door.”

Her father Spencer was understandably fuming with rage. He ran behind her daughter yelling, “Don't you ever talk to me like that again.” But Diana bravely looked at her father and allegedly responded, "Well, don't you ever do that to us again" — and he didn't. He stayed married to his new wife up until his death in 1992 from a heart attack. Princess Diana had a rough relationship with her father, but the pair put their differences aside for her wedding to Prince Charles. He walked her down the aisle for the beautiful ceremony. He also reportedly convinced her not to call off her wedding to the future King when knowledge of Parker-Bowles gave Diana cold feet.

According to royal biographer Ingrid Seward's book, My Mother And I, Diana once made her way to her father's home in Northamptonshire feeling ‘distraught, flustered, angry’ that Charles was ignoring her at a party. As far as Diana was concerned, ‘the royal wedding was off.’ When she told her father, he was appalled. “After calming her down, he pointed out it would be an act of gross discourtesy to break off her engagement to the future King so close to the wedding,” said Seward. The marriage ultimately ended in divorce in 1996 at the order of the late Queen Elizabeth II herself, who was unhappy with Diana airing her grievances in the BBC Panorama interview.

GET BREAKING ROYAL NEWS
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

More Stories

A UK barrister has a warning for the royals suggesting that the bedrock of British culture is under a strain that it may never truly recover. 
By Sakshi Singh · FEB 19, 2026
A new account suggests the two sisters-in-law competed fiercely for press attention and public approval.
By Abha Anindita · FEB 7, 2026
The Grammy-nominated artist discussed Harry and Meghan on a podcast, and shared what she thought about the estrangement.
By Abha Anindita · FEB 5, 2026
Meghan has already started to tease what appears to be a carefully thought-out Valentine's Day rollout tied to love, gifting, and slow mornings at home.
By Madhurima · JAN 28, 2026
Although Prince Harry's private security team identified her immediately, they found themselves in a legal stalemate.
By Sakshi Singh · JAN 26, 2026
Harry named 10 associates he was in regular contact with during the relevant period, including his brother, sister-in-law, and ex, Chelsy Davy.
By Medha Sengupta · JAN 22, 2026
The Duke of Sussex entered the Gothic Victorian court building around 10 AM.
By Abha Anindita · JAN 19, 2026
This time around, the palace appears unwilling to loosen its purse strings beyond what is necessary.
By Medha Sengupta · JAN 17, 2026
Insiders say the couple took on total risk with no investors involved.
By Abha Anindita · JAN 16, 2026
Sources say the silence was deliberate — but the Princess of Wales is choosing calm
By Abha Anindita · JAN 13, 2026