Our Royal Expert Reveals Why William 'Will Be Angry' Over Spencer's Memoir — but Won't Let It Show
Our royal expert reveals how Prince William really feels about his uncle's controversial memoir.
Three decades have passed since the tragic demise of Princess Diana, and yet the images of a young Prince William walking behind her coffin, head bowed, remain etched in public memory. Where Prince Harry has been open about his grief — laying it bare in his memoir Spare — William has stayed silent. Now, with the release of Charles Spencer's new book on his late sister's life, that old wound is back in the spotlight. As the world waits to see how he'll respond, our royal experts weigh in on what the Prince of Wales might really be feeling as he relives his mother's memories.
In an exclusive interview, Royal Observer's Associate Editor Joshua Rom asked British journalist and former press secretary for the late Queen Dickie Arbiter, to unpack what William might be feeling as the Spencer memoir stirs up old grief. Rom pointed out that William and Princess Catherine are "very much... doing exactly what they do best, which is keep calm, carry on," while noting that William's silence likely masks a more complicated emotional reality — one shaped by his brother's public closeness to the Spencers against his own lifelong ties to that side of the family.
Arbiter, who spent over a decade inside the Palace press office, said, "Well, William is a Spencer, he's a half Spencer, and he's a half Windsor. He will be angry with this book. He will be angry with the allegations. But he's got his head screwed on the right way. And he will carry on regardless."
Arbiter noted that William reflects on his mother's tragic death, mourning her privately, in contrast to Harry, who mourns her publicly. As a final word, the royal journalist explained that William believes that as long as Harry continues to adopt a victim mentality, reconciliation is unlikely to happen anytime soon.
Similarly, Rebecca English, royal editor of the Daily Mail, highlighted that William finds the betrayal particularly personal, as he has long urged those profiting from his late mother's memory to allow her to rest in peace, and now must also confront his uncle's actions. She further noted that the memoir has stirred significant emotions, particularly as the Prince of Wales reportedly feels 'deeply disappointed' by the revelations after almost 30 years.
William is reportedly 'furious' about a situation, though Kensington Palace is not officially commenting on it. Sources express skepticism about the potential benefits of the unfolding events. "What good can ever come of it?" a source allegedly told the royal editor, while another remarked, "You can imagine how this has gone down." She further emphasized that William faces a challenging situation as he must navigate his thoughts through the grounds of Althorp, the Spencer family seat, and finally to his late mother's resting place.
English continued by stating that Earl Spencer, who asserted at Diana's funeral that the family would protect her sons, would not deny William the chance to pay his respects. However, this moment may be challenging for the future king, especially given his estrangement from Harry, who has recently become closer to their uncle. It remains uncertain whether the Duke of Sussex was fully aware of the book's contents before its release. Some sources suggest he knew what was included, possibly discussing it during a recent visit to Althorp in July. Conversely, others assert that he, like King Charles and Prince William, was not briefed due to stringent security surrounding the final manuscript.
