Earl Spencer has apologised to Piers Morgan over ‘incorrect’ statements in his new book.
Morgan has threatened to sue Spencer over ‘fabricated inaccuracies’ and ‘examples of brazen falsity’ in Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, which has been serialised by the Daily Mail.
Spencer claims Morgan ‘snarled with annoyance’ when told he was not invited to Diana’s funeral.
The allegation is part of an anecdote told by Spencer about his decision to uninvite all national newspaper editors from the funeral. Morgan was editor of the Mirror at the time.
Spencer also wrote that he ‘assumed Morgan must be feeling particular guilt because, four years earlier, he and his Sunday Mirror counterpart’ published photos of Diana ‘taken with hidden cameras’.
But the pictures, which showed Diana in a leotard working out at the gym, were published in the Sunday Mirror in 1993 while Morgan was still working at The Sun. He joined the Mirror as editor in 1995.
Speaking on his YouTube show Piers Morgan Uncensored, Morgan read an extract from the book, which said: ‘The only one who sounded surly, as opposed to merely confused or embarrassed, was Piers Morgan of the Mirror, who snarled with annoyance before he hung up.’
He then told viewers the book ‘contains fabricated inaccuracies which will strike to the heart of his credibility’.
Piers Morgan has threatened to sue Earl Spencer over ‘fabricated inaccuracies’ in his new book
Charles Spencer’s book Swan Song: Diana, My Sister has been serialised by the Daily Mail
‘Well, this is all 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 bullshit and very, very easy bullshit for me to prove it.’
He addressed the earl directly and said ‘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,’ Morgan said.
‘And I would like a donation to be made to the King’s Trust for the damage that you’ve caused with your lie, after all.’
Morgan has since doubled down and said the book should be ‘pulped’.
Spencer had apologised for the error on Tuesday but stood by his account that Morgan was ‘surly and annoyed’ when he called the journalist to tell him he was not welcome at Diana’s funeral.
A statement said: ‘Earl Spencer’s account of his conversation with Piers Morgan is accurate.
‘Mr Morgan was surly and annoyed when Earl Spencer called personally to tell him that he was not welcome at his sister’s funeral.
‘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 photographs were published by the Sunday Mirror on November 7 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.’
Earl Spencer’s book, pictured being sold for half price in a London bookshop, was released on Tuesday
Morgan later repeated his threat of legal action, writing on social media: ‘Earl Spencer has apologised to me for his defamatory lies published in his new book, Swan Song.
‘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.’
Morgan had also accused the earl of ‘using the Harry and Meghan playbook’ of ‘putting their truth before the truth’, continuing: ‘I expect there will be many more examples of brazen falsity after what I’ve uncovered.’
He referred to other claims in the book, including that the King told Spencer ‘we’ll forget [Diana] soon enough’ and sounded ‘giddily elated’ in the wake of the crash which killed her.
He said: ‘Many allies of His Majesty have called into question these facts, ever since the most salacious accusations were serialised by the Daily Mail.
‘Many royal commentators and experts have lined up to say that they simply don’t ring true. The King himself issued a furious rebuke that is almost without precedent.’
The earl has stood by his account of the King’s alleged comments.
