Charles Spencer

Rosebud with Gyles Brandreth

Gyles Brandreth / Plain Jaine Media

Society & Culture

4.6 • 2.2K Ratings

🗓️ 24 October 2025

⏱️ 80 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

This week's guest is Charles Spencer: the writer, broadcaster, and heir to the Spencer family title and estate at Althorp, where his sister, Diana, is buried. In this unmissable conversation, Charles talks to Gyles about his childhood, the breakdown of his parents' marriage, and his mother's sudden and shocking departure from the family home. He talks about his three sisters, and his close relationship with Diana. He talks about his schooldays, and in particular his harrowing experience at Maidwell Hall prep school - this episode does include Charles's account of the corporal punishment that took place there and his own experience of serious sexual abuse by a staff member. He talks about his happier time at Eton. And finally, he talks about the eulogy he gave at Diana's funeral and the extraordinary effect it had. This is a fascinating, unflinching, and deeply moving conversation. Many thanks to Earl Spencer for being our guest on Rosebud.

Charles Spencer's book, A Very Private School, is available here

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Transcript

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0:00.0	It's a beautiful day and I've got a beautiful guest. Cue the music and welcome to Rosebud. No, I've got that in the wrong order. It should be welcome to Rose for royals in the news.
0:36.3	It's been quite a week for royal brothers in the news. It's been quite a week for royal brothers in the news.
0:40.7	And, well, it's Friday. This is Rosebud, and I'm bringing you a royal brother. A royal younger
0:47.0	brother, too. Yes, it's the younger brother of the late diner Princess of Wales. My special guest
0:53.5	this week is Charles Edward Morris Spencer,
0:57.2	ninth Earl Spencer, who was indeed the younger brother of Diana Princess of Wales. And of course,
1:04.3	memorably, Charles Spencer gave the eulogy at her funeral, which shocked people at the time, brought forth, well, cheers and
1:13.8	applause from the congregation gathered outside Westminster Abbey, and then eventually applause within
1:19.8	the Abbey. It was very controversial. And Charles, who I've known for, say, 40 or so years,
1:26.2	is a remarkable fellow. He is a wonderful writer. I have to tell you,
1:32.2	he's written some really good, serious history books. He's also written a memoir, which I found
1:38.4	quite searing. So, this is going to be a very interesting and revealing episode, I think you will find.
1:46.9	Yes, there are royal elements to it, but there's much more to him and his family story than that.
1:52.7	As you'll discover, in this week's very special, Rosebud.
1:57.3	Cue with the music.
1:58.3	I think fanfares are in order, don't you?
2:13.3	Yeah. Cue the music. I think fanfares are in order, don't you? Charles Edward Morris Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, born on May the 20th, 1964.
2:21.8	I want to know, Charles, what is your very first memory?
2:28.1	Well, my very first memory is when I was around two, and I was sitting in the middle of a very swirly green carpet in the
2:36.2	nursery at Parkhouse and Sandringham where I grew up. I can also remember my father who was a very
2:42.1	keen photographer taking loads of photographs of me in one of those sort of bulletproof prams that
2:48.8	nannies used to enjoy and I remember I was chewing on the side
	...

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