Available reporting does not establish that King Charles has said he deeply regrets a particular part of his relationship with Princess Diana. A frequently confused 1994 “no regrets” report concerned his cooperation with a biography—not his marriage. A separate claim in a 2026 book by Diana’s brother concerns an alleged remark after her death, and remains disputed.
What did Charles reportedly say he did not regret?
In October 1994, The Independent reported that Charles had cooperated with Jonathan Dimbleby’s authorized biography. A St James’s Palace spokesman said, “I am sure he does not regret his co-operation over the book.” The statement was narrowly about helping with the biography; it was not a declaration about regretting—or not regretting—his marriage to Diana. The article also described the book’s portrayal of Charles as pressured into marrying Diana and not in love with her. Those are characterizations reported in that account, not proof of the title’s claim. The Independent’s 1994 report.
What is established about the marriage and public accounts?
Charles and Diana married in 1981, separated in 1992 and divorced in 1996, according to the Associated Press’s coverage of Charles Spencer’s book. Their public accounts of the relationship should be kept distinct rather than treated as evidence of Charles’s private regret.
- Charles’s adultery: The Washington Post reported in 1995 that Charles had acknowledged adultery in a 1994 interview. That is an account of a public admission, not a statement that he regretted the marriage. The Washington Post’s 1995 report.
- Diana’s interview: In her 1995 interview, Diana spoke about her own relationship with James Hewitt and her marriage. Her statements are her account, not Charles’s. The Washington Post’s report on the interview.
- Diana’s recorded recollections: The Guardian reported in 2017 on recordings made in 1993 in which Diana recalled speaking with the Queen about her marriage and described her feelings for another man. Diana said, “At 24, I fell deeply in love with someone who was part of all this and that was all found out and he was chucked out and then he was killed. And that was the deepest blow in my life I must say.” This is Diana’s recollection, not a statement by Charles about regret. The Guardian’s account of the tapes.
What is the disputed 2026 claim about remarks after Diana’s death?
In 2026, Charles Spencer’s book Swan Song: Diana, My Sister reignited tensions with the royal family. The Associated Press reported Spencer’s recollection that, during a dispute after Diana’s death, Charles said: “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.” AP also reported Buckingham Palace’s response: “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 color memory in ways others do not recognize, even many years after such a loss.” Spencer stood by his account.
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This is a disputed recollection attributed to Spencer, with a Palace response questioning how grief may affect memory and judgment. It is not an admission by Charles that he regrets his relationship with Diana. AP reports that Diana died in 1997, aged 36. AP’s report on Spencer’s book; AP’s report on the Palace response.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.So, what part of the relationship does Charles regret?
The cited reporting does not identify a specific part of the relationship that Charles has said he deeply regrets. The 1994 “no regrets” line referred to his cooperation with Dimbleby’s biography; the 2026 story concerns a disputed alleged remark after Diana’s death. Neither establishes the regret asserted by the headline.
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