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.

If it was all a pack of lies don’t you think one of his sisters would say so? Their silence speaks volumes.

Diana had chosen her funeral music?

And Charles Windsor refused to allow Diana's coffin to be opened so her mother could see her body. Such cruelty.

Princess Diana wanted Mozart’s Requiem played at her funeral, but her wish was ultimately rejected by Buckingham Palace

@BasiliskStare I thought, as we are trying to make this a thread based on the text, that I would link the two extracts we've had so far:

Part 1 https://archive.is/ioB2b

Part 2 https://archive.is/1CpDL

instead he’s taken a huge shit on her memory IMHO.

Gosh that’s a very disrespectful assessment.

I believe that CS has every right to defend his sister after she was used so dreadfully by the RF.

Many people think that the narrative around Diana has been manipulated very deliberately, negatively and unjustly by the palace since her death, and since the marriage of Charles to Camilla.

Charles Spencer is one of the few people in the country who can stand up to King Charles to right some of the injustice and some of us are very pleased about that.

Really? His mother was an adult woman with all her faculties as far as I’m aware so why was her son allowed to decide what she could or couldn’t do?

Yes, I doubt very much whether CW had control over the coffin situation.

Charles Windsor had legal control and yes denied Diana's mother.

Could you cite the evidence for this please?
Thank you.

The palace said the coffin was sealed and refused to give permission for it to be opened.
Diana's mother was cut out of the funeral arrangements as well.
It was all very cruel.

Where in the book is this?

But Charles Spencer had unique access and insights to these events as Diana’s brother. He delivered the eulogy. Her remains came home to his estate. It would be very odd indeed if he wrote a dispassionate account.

The most important aspect of this book is that it is his statement about what happened.

I don't know if it is in the book. It is fact that has been known for years.

Where is this story from?

So you’re just derailing the book thread rather than posting it on one of the other general threads about the row…

any need?

Yes Diana’s mother made the comment later that she had lost her son John in childbirth and the baby had been whisked away from her without her permission and she felt that the very same outrage had been committed once again in relation to Diana.

So terribly sad.

My thoughts on reading Part 2:

I wonder if the part where the Queen offered HRH back is true? I don't really see the point, and to me it doesn't seem in keeping with how the late Queen would have acted. Would be interested to know others' thoughts.

I didn't know the Queen wanted Diana buried at Frogmore. That would have been very appropriate, as the mother of a king, and probably easier for her sons.

I think the suggestion that Harry was 'allowed to spin out of control' for lack of care is deliberately inflammatory.

It's not very clear from the narrative, but I think only Charles R traveled with the Spencers to Althorp for the interment?

This thread has been setup to discuss the book only as requested by @BasiliskStare, only excerpts from the book are open to discussion, no gossip, no rumours, only the book and the excerpts….there are other threads already dealing with posters opinions and rumours, it would be nice if that can be honoured.

I can’t see her offering it back at that point, what would have been the point?

The way it’s written to me sounds like it’s trying to feed in with the “Diana couldn’t be buried at Frogmore because she wasn’t HRH” statement. Which was incorrect.

There is a huge focus on H. You’d have thought W was an adult with the difference in speech about them. Which strikes me as somewhat ironic as if W had been an adult then he’d have been basically in charge as Diana’s most senior relative.

I think it was just Charles, her two sons, her mother and siblings at the burial.

I understand your point @MrsLeonFarrell - he is writing almost like an autobiography rather than a biography.

It's not very clear from the narrative, but I think only Charles R traveled with the Spencers to Althorp for the interment?

Presumably also William, Harry & Diana's mother?

Thanks @diddl and @JustAnotherWhinger for the clarification re the burial.

Yes, they all went on a special train, didn't they, so they could relax and have a meal.

They went on the royal train.