Discussion about Charles Spencer's book - Swan Song : Diana, my sister , Beautiful, Beloved, Hunted.

[BasiliskStare]

I know there is a thread about the theft of some pre publication editions of this book.
This thread is more by way of a book club discussion about the actual book , the text. Threads will go where they will , but my intention is this is more for me to give my opinion on the book and for others who read it or are interested in the book to join in. I have pre-ordered from Kindle (half price otherwise I may not have 😊) But is only available on September 22nd. So a holding place if you like.

True.

@Janiie and sorry to @ItsAlwaysTwins for answering this - please do answer it in your way.

Re the processes etc for D being buried on the island in the middle of the Oval lake.
CS had to get the island consecrated for a burial. He has in the book some letters to and fro about this. It was consecrated by the Bishop of Peterborough and the chaplain. He replicates the letters in the book.
A practical consideration , there had to be a way of getting Diana's coffin to the island. Some local military engineers built a sturdy pontoon bridge. Before this and I think subsequently the only access to the island was/is by boat. Which would not have worked for the very heavy coffin.
I think CS considered their family crypt in St Mary the Virgin Church in the village (Great Brington,) but decided keeping the crypt safe from the many people who would want to visit was not practicable.

One more point - I've read that some are sceptical of D being buried so close to water. In the book he says near the water was pointed out to him but it would be fine in the circumstances ( heavy lined lead coffin. ) and possibly better than the conditions within the family crypt.
I believe Diana is buried on that island . ( As well as the chapter where he describes KC and W&H there and his family for the interment. ) There's much in the book I am sceptical of , but this one , I believe him.

The logistics of the burial are interesting. Thank you.

Edit to say I think they did right to put her there rather than in the church, because of the possible crowds. I know Althorp is on the day-out map but at the House they can manage the numbers who go each day.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/sep/23/peoples-earl-charles-spencer-swan-song-diana-my-sister-digested-read-john-crace

Because I assumed a grave on a small island in a lake would hit the water table. I’m an geeky building engineer and assumed there wouldn’t be sufficient separation between the bottom of the grave and the highest groundwater level which is likely to be relatively shallow and may fluctuate with the lake level. Also, the risk of contamination to the water would likely be an issue. That’s why I thought there’s no way she’s buried there.

He doesn’t say the grave was lined with concrete, but he does say she had a ‘royal style’ lead lined coffin. So that addressed the contamination side and presumably the ground was surveyed and deemed suitable.

Why did you jump to a conspiracy theory straight away though? Surely, if you are an engineer, you could work out a way this could work?

Conspiracy theory is a bit of a stretch 😂

I just thought it was a tall tale invented for good reason. And as I said upthread, the part in the book where he discusses it is really interesting.

John Crace's Digested Reads are generally very biting and funny. Worth Googling others if you like his style.

It's a conspiracy theory, more than a "tall tale", because it would have been a deliberate lie, and people would have to be in collision to support the lie and keep it going. A tall tale would be something like "Charles Windsor took a flower from a wreath".
The issue of Diana's burial being a lie and continuously covered up for decades is a conspiracy theory.

"Collusion", sorry, too late to edit the typo

But it's all just tmi isn't it. We dont need to hear the logistics of burying near water and lead coffins.

Yoy get the feeling this weird man has never read the room in his entire life hence all his failed relationships both romantic and other.

I agree, as I’m sure they made the best burying decision, based on privacy considerations, practicalities of location so my only objection is knowing winks and nods from the Sussex trying to generate clicks on the back of it.

Once the family can visit when they want, that’s the important thing, and that’s all the family no matter what I think of each of them personally

I’m sure William would love to remember his mum in a more formal way in the future, she was the mother of a future King, but while the Sussex’s and Charles Spencer are creating controversy his hands are tied.

William has a more balanced view of his mother, but he clearly loved her deeply.

I certainly hope so. The memorial fountain and that awful statue (who on earth commissioned it?) don’t really do her justice imho. The kids playground is more like it!

That statue is just awful, isn't it? You've got to wonder how that ever got installed.

Has Ingrid Stewart got a new book out ?
I recognise the name from old tv interviews .I don’t know if this is old footage .

She was discussing the time William was in a rage and wanted to strangle his mother and pushed her instead .
It was when Diana did the panorama interview and he was furious .

We have been told for decades that William is permanently incandescent so it’s not exactly a surprise . But pushing his mother is different - that is a shock .

So William is generally furious , there was the dog bowl incident , we are told Camilla was shocked by how William bellows and rages at Charles, we’ve heard he rants at staff erc

So someone wants the cruel Charles story to be replaced by the out of control William story

In one of the interviews he gave, maybe the old Larry King one, he said one of the reasons for the Althorp burial was Diana had specifically said she did not want to be cremated and he said she would have had to be for the family crypt.

So William is "permanently incandescent" is he?
He certainly didn't appear that way to those who worked with him in the Air Ambulance service, or in his charities.
Highly improbable.

@quaintireneofrye

Look at the many articles telling us how angry William is.

I think some of them imagine it makes William look good .
It doesn’t .

Yes it doesn’t really capture her energy but I suppose that’s an almost impossible task given the medium. It was commissioned by the princes apparently but seeing as their relationship wasn’t or isn’t great; I wonder how much of a proper collaboration it was with the sculptor?

Maybe William pushing Diana is well known .
It was news to me.

Look at the many news reports about his latest engagements; the premiere, the local cinema, the Action on Addiction, the Dartmoor Project, the Suicide Prevention initiative. I saw no sign in those reports of him being "permanently incandescent"
Did you see him speak to those footballers who became vulnerable?
Did you see him speak to the woman whose husband took his own life? He was in tears.
My opinion is based on the objective reporting. None of those examples showed him being "permanently incandescent" (sic)

@quaintireneofrye

Ive just googled and apparently it was a well known incident .
Also several ‘royal authors’ confirm William’s short temper/ bellowing rages.

we are told Camilla was shocked by how William bellows and rages at Charles, we’ve heard he rants at staff erc

Told by who? Heard from who?

A "well known incident" with Diana? When he was a boy? He's 44 now.