Never mind the other revelations, Earl Spencer's Swan Song book dedication was the first thing that took me totally by surprise
Did Princess Diana's brother really just hint at what I think he did? Even if it wasn't intentional it got me thinking
Even before Earl Spencer's controversial new book, Swan Song, was released it was already sparking some strong discussions and so I was expecting a lot more shocking revelations to emerge now it's published. It definitely has those, but it was actually something more subtle that first caught my attention and made me do a double take.
On Page 5 is Charles Spencer's dedication and it's not to Princess Diana who is, after all, the focus of the book. Instead, he writes, "For all those who have lost a sibling."
He was 33 years old when Diana died and much of Swan Song is about their bond and shared experiences. Because of this, the dedication does make sense but I still think it's surprising that he didn't mention her too. It also got me wondering whether he could be hinting at something equally close to home.
The Earl's nephews, Prince William and Prince Harry, were once incredibly close like Charles and Diana were. Whilst they haven't technically "lost" a sibling like their uncle tragically has, they are living very separate lives and have been estranged for years.
In a very different way, they do seem to have lost each other - or at least lost the treasured place they used to have in each other's lives. Although Prince Harry has been open about wanting a "reconciliation" with his family, he and William aren't believed to have met face-to-face since 2024, even though the Sussexes are back living in the UK.
Their frosty relationship has also affected their children, as it's thought that George, Charlotte and Louis haven't even met five-year-old Lilibet yet. Looking at it from the outside you can't help seeing it as a sad situation so imagine what it must be like for the people involved.
Earl Spencer speaks protectively about his nephews throughout Swan Song and in an interview with the BBC ahead of its release he was directly asked about William and Harry. He said that neither of them would be "surprised" by the book claims and refused to pick a "side".
"I think there is a perception in the media that I am on Harry's side," Charles said. "Well, I'm on my deceased sister's sons' side, both of them. And if either of them wanted anything, then I'd be equally there for them."
Given how he wants to be there for William and Harry and support them "equally", it sounds as if he'd be thrilled if the brothers patched things up at some point. Earl Spencer seems to have sympathy for both and this is why I can't help suspecting that there could've been a secondary meaning to his Swan Song dedication.
It's still possible for his nephews to repair their sibling relationship and regain the closeness they've lost in recent years. Whether it will actually happen remains to be seen, though for now Earl Spencer seems to be giving the Prince of Wales and Duke of Sussex their space and doesn't "get involved" himself.
"I never get involved in one camp or the other, except as a benign figure, I hope," he told the BBC.
"I certainly don't know what's been done in the finer detail and so I would feel intrusive if I got more involved than to say of course a mother would want her two sons to be happy together and love each other," Charles added.
