Earl Spencer’s memoir will be edited and reprinted after Piers Morgan threatened legal action against him over an error in his controversial memoir about Diana, Princess of Wales, it has been reported.
Charles Spencer apologised to the former Daily Mirror editor after a passage in his book Swan Song: Diana, My Sister suggested he was responsible for publishing photos of Princess Diana in a leotard at a gym, taken by hidden cameras and published in the Sunday Mirror in 1993.
Morgan hit out at the earl shortly after the book was published on Tuesday, describing how he had been working at The Sun at the time and did not join the Daily Mirror until 1995. He also took issue with Earl Spencer’s characterisation of him as “surly” when asked not to come to Diana’s funeral.
The broadcaster called on Diana’s brother to pulp the remaining copies of his book and said he instructed his lawyers to demand the work be pulled from sale immediately.
The earl later apologised to Morgan and said, as a historian, “accuracy was important to him”, so he wished to “clarify that his assumption was incorrect” that he was editor of the Daily Mirror at the time the “highly intrusive photographs” of Diana were published.
The Times has now reported that future editions will be edited to rectify the error. However Earl Spencer 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 from Earl Spencer read: “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.”
Despite the earl’s apology, Morgan said he still intends to pursue legal action against him.
He told BBC Radio 4’s PM programme he had asked his lawyers to send a legal letter to both the earl and the book’s publishers.
“The mere fact he has so speedily issued an apology should say it all…” Mr Morgan told PM.
“You’re a self proclaimed historian – remove it immediately. And if that means you have to pulp your book, well that’s on you.”
He added on social media: “Earl Spencer has apologised to me for his defamatory lies published in his new book, Swan Song, published today. 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.”
Earl Spencer’s memoir has caused controversy, not only making allegations against the former Mirror editor, but about King Charles. He claimed that the King had told him “we’ll forget her soon enough” in relation to his sister during an angry phone call in the days after her tragic death in a car crash in Paris.
In response to the claims made in the memoir prior to its publication, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson previously said: “While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss.”
The Independent has contacted Earl Spencer for comment.
