Royal Insider Defends Princess Diana’s Stepmother, "Acid Raine," Against Earl Spencer's Claims
Raine Spencer was once nicknamed “Acid Raine” by Diana and her siblings, but a royal insider has now offered a very different view of her.
Princess Diana’s stepmother, Raine Spencer, has found herself back in the spotlight following fresh claims from her stepson, Earl Spencer. However, another royal figure has now come to her defense, offering a very different perspective on the woman once nicknamed “Acid Raine.”
The defence comes from Lady Anne Glenconner, who knows royal life well as Princess Margaret’s former lady-in-waiting. In her new book, Trunks & Tiaras, Glenconner offers a warmer account of Raine, recalling how well she treated John Spencer after they married in 1976.
“I liked her. I was godmother to her daughter, Charlotte, and she was godmother to my daughter May, and she was very generous to her,” Glenconner told HELLO! The 94-year-old also credited Raine with helping save John's life, while fondly remembering her as a wonderful godmother to her daughter, May. Raine died in 2016, aged 87.
Moreover, while Raine's relationship with Diana and her siblings was often difficult, Glenconner recalled that she and Diana eventually grew closer. She said, “I think from the children's point of view, she probably was difficult, but she was wonderful with Johnnie [Earl Spencer]—she saved his life when he was ill. And then, interestingly, she became great friends with Diana.”
Glenconner has witnessed several key royal moments firsthand, serving as a maid of honor at Queen Elizabeth II's 1953 coronation as well as attending King Charles' coronation in 2023.
In contrast, Charles Spencer offers a far less flattering account of Raine in his book, Swan Song, revisiting a bitter row between her and Diana at Althorp House in 1989. He recalled that the argument turned physical after Raine reportedly said she felt sorry for the then-Prince Charles for being married to someone “quite as stupid” as Diana, prompting his sister to push their stepmother down the stairs.
Spencer also questioned Raine's management of the Althorp estate, claiming Diana learned of her father's remarriage through newspaper reports. He accused his stepmother of selling off family assets for personal gain, describing it as “feathering her own nest” for life after John's passing.
Furthermore, the strained relationship even showed in the nickname the Spencer children gave their stepmother. According to The Telegraph, they called her “Acid Raine.” Diana’s former butler, Paul Burrell, claimed the siblings would sing “Raine, Raine, go away” whenever she appeared.
