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Only Princess Diana's brother knew the double meaning in her eulogy, until now

1 min read Rewritten in plain language
  • A brother was tasked with eulogising his "global phenomenon" of a sister.
  • Among the claims in Swan Song: Diana, My Sister is Earl Spencer describing King Charles III as sounding "giddily elated — like a lottery winner" on the phone hours after the fatal crash.
  • In Swan Song, Earl Spencer analyses the eulogy he penned for his late sister, revealing the moments that inspired certain lines and the hidden rebuttals inked into his lasting tribute.
  • For such was her appeal that the tens of millions of people taking part in this service all over the world via television and radio who never met her, feel that they too lost someone close to them in the early hours of Sunday morning.
  • All over the world, a standard bearer for the rights of the downtrodden, a British girl who transcended nationality."

5 sentences from our version of the report, chosen to cover it. Nothing here is written; every line is in the article below. How

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A brother was tasked with eulogising his "global phenomenon" of a sister. Earl Spencer is analysing his own words decades on.

His eulogy for Princess Diana was lauded around the world as billions tuned in to mourn the "people's princess" nearly three decades ago.

His new memoir has preceded a war of words with the palace as he revisits one of the darkest times in modern royal history.

Among the claims in Swan Song: Diana, My Sister is Earl Spencer describing King Charles III as sounding "giddily elated — like a lottery winner" on the phone hours after the fatal crash.

The memoir has also preceded a legal threat from broadcaster Piers Morgan, for which Earl Spencer has apologised for getting a "date wrong", but says he will not pull the book from shelves.

In Swan Song, Earl Spencer analyses the eulogy he penned for his late sister, revealing the moments that inspired certain lines and the hidden rebuttals inked into his lasting tribute.

Below is a full transcript of his eulogy from 1997, annotated with some of Earl Spencer's recent reflections.

For such was her appeal that the tens of millions of people taking part in this service all over the world via television and radio who never met her, feel that they too lost someone close to them in the early hours of Sunday morning.

"Diana was the essence of compassion, of duty, of style, of beauty. All over the world, a standard bearer for the rights of the downtrodden, a British girl who transcended nationality."

Shortened to 1 minute of reading, this version reads 6 on the Niral Score.

You are reading our version, not theirs. This is ABC News's report shortened to its most important sentences, in plainer words, with verdicts and loaded words taken out. Plain description stays, and so do adjectives that carry a fact, such as "former" or "federal". The reporting, the facts and the quotations are theirs — quotations are never edited — and the indicators beside it measure this version. Hover or tap Adjectives to see every one left in the text.

How this outlet filed it, and how we rewrote it

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Outlet Niral ScoreAdjectivesSourcingSentimentHappiness
ABC Newsas they published this story 23.4 41 54 -0.1 21.3
Mundane Readneutralized from ABC News 11.4 31 54 -0.0 36.6

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