Princess Diana's popularity 'still deeply resented' by Buckingham Palace, TV icon claims

Ben McCaffrey Sat, September 19, 2026 at 11:56 AM UTC

6

Princess Diana | Source: PA

Princess Diana's popularity with the British public is still "deeply resented" in Buckingham Palace, a legendary TV presenter has claimed.

David Dimbleby, 87, has spoken candidly on the Royal Family, following the release of his docuseries What's The Monarchy For? last year - and pulled no punches.

Speaking to the BBC, Mr Dimbleby said Diana was a "prime example of someone who didn't act like the rest of the Royal Family".

"She was fresh, new and exciting to the public and they really adored her," he noted.

"And that was deeply resented in the Palace. And still is."

His comments come amidst a public feud between Earl Charles Spencer and the King, after Diana's brother accused then-Prince Charles of being less than sympathetic during a phone call between the two following the late Princess of Wales' death.

He added: "This kind of tit-for-tat over who said what, and only two people know what was actually said, just reignites all that."

Mr Dimbleby argued that the "real problem" with the monarch is their apprehension about "facing up to the biggest issues".

The TV icon also described the Royal Family as "a bit of a soap opera" and warned against becoming "trapped in this cycle of gossip".

He continued: "People are fascinated and I think whenever any tittle-tattle reaches the public domain, people sort of think about it in terms of their own families.

"They all have problems and then suddenly... this family that is set up on a pedestal of being leaders of the country - they have problems too."

Advertisement

His comments come in the wake of astonishing allegations from Earl Spencer in his forthcoming memoir Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, due to be released next week.

But the book - being serialised in the Daily Mail - has already made headlines and caused a stir in royal circles after the Earl claimed then-Prince Charles told him Diana would be forgotten "soon enough" after her tragic death in 1997.

Earl Spencer | Source: INSTAGRAM: @CHARLES.EARL.SPENCER

The memoir also claims Charles sounded "like a lottery winner" during a phone call on the night of her death.

Diana's brother, 62, said that he feels the King's initial reaction "must have been to think more of how this event might free him to marry the woman he loved" as opposed to "appreciating the loss of one he did not".

"It can be hard to feel too much sympathy for an ex-spouse, or those who care for them profoundly, after bitter divorce," he added.

The Palace initially issued a stern statement in response, saying that "pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory" - though they have since refused to comment further.

The Earl gave a BBC interview on Friday, defending his claims and insisting he was "telling the truth" on what he called Charles' "monstrous" comments.

In response to allegations that the King was "furious" with the claims, he asked: "Is he furious? Or is he embarrassed?

"I can tell you here and now, those are exactly the words he said."

GB News have approached Buckingham Palace for comment.

Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter

Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”