Swan Song: Diana, my sister. Beautiful. Beloved. Hunted.

· Penguin · Narrated by Charles Spencer
21 reviews
Audiobook
9 hr 47 min
Unabridged
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About this audiobook

Beautiful. Beloved. Hunted. The extraordinary life and death of Diana, as told by her brother, Charles.

‘When asked, ‘What was it like, growing up with Diana?’, my first thought is always, But I don’t know what it was like not to grow up with her...’

In September 1997, Charles Spencer stood in Westminster Abbey before a watching world and shared his grief at losing his beloved sister, Diana. Now, nearly thirty years later, he tells the astonishing story of his life with Diana and the tragic week of her death.

In childhood, Charles and Diana, the youngest Spencers, were inseparable – secretly calling one another Duch and Carlos. As each other’s closest confidantes, they roamed the family estate, endured extremely challenging boarding schools, survived terrifying nannies and helped each other through the agony of their parents’ divorce.

Yet everything changed when Diana married the Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, and overnight became a global icon. Charles saw his older sister serve the world’s marginalized and relish being mother to her treasured sons.

But, pursued by a barbaric press as her royal marriage crumbled, she was left desperately alone. Charles always tried to be there for Diana – until that black night in August, 1997.

In Swan Song, Charles Spencer provides the most intimate, loving and honest portrait yet of his sister.

Praise for Charles Spencer’s writing:

'Top marks for its searing frankness, framed in wistfully beautiful prose’ The Times

‘Acutely observant, his turn of phrase is often delightful' Daily Telegraph

‘A moving, heartbreaking memoir’ Financial Times

‘A tour de force' Washington Post

Beautiful. Beloved. Hunted. The extraordinary life and death of Diana, as told by her brother, Charles. ‘When asked, ‘What was it like, growing up with Diana?’, my first thought is always, But I don’t know what it was like not to grow up with her...’ In September 1997, Charles Spencer stood in We...

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Ratings and reviews

21 reviews
Chas Maplepole
September 25, 2026
Only A Brother Could Write Such A Beautiful, Touching, Emotional Tribute For His Sister Diana. I Am Thankful To Have This Pleasure To Listen To You Memorising your life's. listening To Your Calming Comforting Voice. Thank You Earl Spencer. Diana Is Looking Down with Pride. God Bless. With Pride. God Bless All.
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GillyAnne 01
October 13, 2026
A Wonderful Read – and an Even More Wonderful Listen. I bought both the Audible and hardback editions of Swan Song, and I can honestly say that, as soon as I had finished listening to the audiobook, I went straight back to the beginning to listen to it all over again, just to make sure I hadn't missed a single word! I absolutely love Charles Spencer's writing, his voice, and the way he narrates his own work. He is so beautifully spoken, and listening to him brings an extra dimension to the book. I am so glad he wrote it. There were a couple of things I learned about Diana that I didn't particularly like, but that is part of what makes the book so interesting. I thoroughly enjoyed learning more about her life, as well as discovering more about Charles himself and the Spencer family. If I could choose any brother in the world, I think I would choose Charles Spencer. Every girl deserves a loyal brother like him. He comes across as such a lovely person, and I found myself admiring him all the more as I listened. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and cannot recommend it highly enough. It is a book I wanted to listen to twice, and one I am very glad to have on my bookshelf, too.
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Peter Warren
September 30, 2026
not as good as the hype also his voice gets on your nerves
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About the author

Charles Spencer is an author, historian, public speaker, broadcaster and journalist. He is also the 9th Earl Spencer. Spencer is the author of nine non-fiction books, including four Sunday Times bestsellers. A globally in-demand keynote speaker, he worked for NBC News as an on-air correspondent from 1986 to 1995. He has presented for the History Channel, was a co-host of the hit Rabbit Hole Detectives podcast, and has written for many newspapers and magazines. He is a columnist for the Financial Times.

Spencer was educated at Eton College, and at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he obtained his MA in Modern History.

He is a fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.

Charles Spencer is an author, historian, public speaker, broadcaster and journalist. He is also the 9th Earl Spencer. Spencer is the author of nine non-fiction books, including four Sunday Times bestsellers. A globally in-demand keynote speaker, he worked for NBC News as an on-air correspondent f...

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