Earl Spencer has issued a formal apology to Piers Morgan after falsely implicating him in the 1993 Princess Diana photo scandal.
Overnight, a spokesperson for the Earl admitted to the BBC that he was mistaken when he’d claimed Piers had been involved in publishing photos of Princess Di in the Sunday Mirror in 1993 that showed her working out in a London gym.
“The book then records Earl Spencer’s assumption that Mr Morgan’s response was because he was editor of the Daily Mirror when the Mirror Group had published highly intrusive photographs of Princess Diana at the gym,” the statement reads.
“The photographs were published by the Sunday Mirror on 7 November 1993. Mr Morgan has pointed out that he did not join the Daily Mirror until October 1995. As an historian, accuracy is important to Earl Spencer. He therefore wishes to clarify that his assumption was incorrect. Earl Spencer apologises to Mr Morgan for this error.”
However, the brother of the late princess stands by his claim that Piers was “surly” when he called him on the phone to un-invite him to Diana’s funeral.
Speaking with 7.30 at his family’s home north of London on Tuesday, local time, Earl Spencer further apologised for the error.
“I have got a date wrong, so there’s been a public statement made on my behalf to state what I have done, and I apologise,” he said before adding that Piers’ “surly behaviour” on the phone was “true”.
Piers has since responded and said that he still plans to pursue legal action, despite the apology.
“Earl Spencer has apologised to me for his defamatory lies published in his new book, Swan Song, published today,” he said on social media.
“But I am pursuing legal action against him and his publisher Penguin to have the lies removed, and damages paid to the King’s Trust.”
He also told Sky News that he wants every copy of book “pulped”.
“The longer this book is on sale… then the higher the damages will be and the more money that will go to the King’s Trust,” he said
“They have published something which they have admitted is completely untrue, and which he has issued a public apology for. So now they should withdraw the book.”
On Tuesday, the British broadcaster announced he was planning to sue both Charles, and his publisher, over the “bulls**t claims” Charles made about him in his new memoir Swan Song: Diana, My Sister.
“I am taking legal action against Earl Spencer and his publishers over demonstrable lies he has written about me in his new book, which call into question his credibility as a supposed ‘historian’. Full details to follow on tonight’s Piers Uncensored,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Later, during an episode of Piers Morgan Uncensored, the 61-year-old claimed that a section of the book falsely implicates him in the publication of intrusive photos of Princess Diana exercising at a gym in 1993.
“Earl Spencer’s book contains fabricated inaccuracies which will strike to the heart of his credibility,” he told his viewers.
“His book is out tomorrow, I’ll expect maybe many more examples of brazen falsity after what I’ve uncovered about purely an entry about myself.”
The controversial British TV presenter then said it’s “pretty extraordinary stuff, isn’t it?”
“And very damning, particularly about me,” he said. “I come across in the most despicable manner imaginable. There’s just one problem. It’s all bulls**t, and very, very easy bulls**t for me to prove it..
“I joined the Daily Mirror in October 1995. In fact, at the time of the gym pictures, I was doing a showbiz column on the Mirror’s arch-rival, The Sun,” he continued.
“About as far removed from responsibility for the Mirror scoop as I could possibly have been.
“I’m not claiming to be a journalistic angel, but on this particular thing that he says about me, he’s 100 per cent wrong.”
In another part of the book, Charles claims Piers was “surly” when he called him to un-invite him to Princess Diana’s funeral.
He finished the segment by reminding Charles that he plans to take legal action.
“In the meantime, Earl Spencer, you’ll be hearing, and your publishers, from my lawyers because I would like the complete lie that you’ve published about me and those photographs to be removed from your book.,” he said.
“And I would like a donation to be made to the King’s Trust for the damage you’ve caused with your lie.”
This isn’t the first time the memoir has caused controversy. In an extract published this week, the Earl claims he fought with King Charles over his decision to make young Prince William and Prince Harry walk behind Diana’s coffin at her funeral.
He said when he found out that was the plan he told a royal aide “that’s not going to happen”.
He alleges that minutes later a furious Charles phoned and “went nuts”.
The Earl tried to explain to Charles that Diana would not have wanted her young sons to endure such a public ordeal.
“Prince Charles continued his stream of anger without interrupting. Then he stopped. I assumed the pause signalled an effort to bring himself under control,” he writes.
“But then he unleashed down the phone what I have always taken to be his pent-up contempt for Diana, and his horror that the world was so bowled over by her death.
“Rest assured,” he allegedly said, “We’ll forget her soon enough!’”
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
