In SWAN SONG, Charles Spencer offers an intimate, literate portrait of his older sister, Diana, commemorating the 30th anniversary of her tragic passing and intertwined with his own engaging autobiography. 

Diana and her brother were members of a distinguished British family with strong ties to royalty. She had undeniable charms and beauty, and in her late teens she attracted the attention of Charles, the Prince of Wales and heir to the English kingship. Spencer paints a fascinating, sometimes painful picture of life behind the scenes for his sister. It is filtered with disdain for her husband, who was known to have been embroiled in a clandestine affair with his future second wife, Camilla Parker-Bowles, months before marrying Diana.

"SWAN SONG gives new life to Diana’s dreams and downfall, and it should be appreciated by an international readership."

Spencer’s account reveals the thorny relationship between Diana and the future monarch, while focusing intently on her strengths, virtues and trials. She often wept profusely, sometimes seeming to contemplate suicide. Although it was never formally noted, Spencer believes that she suffered from ADHD. This could explain her difficulties in education and her general grasp of Charles’ perfidies taking place behind her back, but not unnoticed by the press.

Diana performed her mothering duties with care and concern, and was voluntarily involved in numerous charitable endeavors. She especially was lauded for her support of AIDS sufferers and her partnership in that cause with South Africa’s Nelson Mandela. 

Spencer asserts that Diana’s shocking death in a car crash in 1997 was the result of a complex plot against her, of which he presents a great deal of proof. These factual offerings are melded with his clear resentment for and anger towards Charles, who, as he recalls, often made sarcastic, denigrating remarks to and about Diana. This is in stark contrast to how touchingly she was admired by many of her fellow citizens. He states that she “mostly brought joy with her” and was often observed by Queen Elizabeth and others to rise above difficult circumstances, instead emphasizing the positive aspects of her life.

Spencer frequently gives Diana privacy and protection as she is stalked by the paparazzi. His intense account of her funeral, those who attended, and the international effect of her passing offer a genuine sense of his love for her and sorrow for her loss since he had always expected her to live a long and deservedly admirable life. 

SWAN SONG gives new life to Diana’s dreams and downfall, and it should be appreciated by an international readership.