Princess Diana's brother has preceded fresh controversy for the British royal family with a new book that claims King Charles sounded "elated" after her death.
In a book titled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, Charles Spencer recounted the days after Diana, 36, was killed in a car crash in Paris in 1997.
Spencer claims he told Charles that Diana would not have wanted her sons to undergo the experience.
The claims in the memoir, extracts of which have been published before the book's full release later this week, prompted a strong rebuke from the usually measured royal family.
In the book, Spencer accuses Charles of having "contempt" for his ex-wife and of sounding "dizzily elated — like a lottery winner" during a phone call he had with him on the night of her death.
"He let me know he had informed William and Harry of their mother's death, first thing that morning, in their bedrooms at Balmoral [a castle in Scotland now owned by Charles]."
Charles and Diana separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996.
Spencer also alleges Charles subjected him to a "stream of anger" after he insisted Diana would not have wanted William and Harry to walk in her funeral procession.
Diana died after the car she was travelling in crashed as the driver tried to get away from paparazzi photographers.
In a eulogy at Diana's funeral, Spencer said that her "blood family" would carry on her "imaginative and loving" legacy by raising her two sons, which was widely considered a swipe at the royal family.