Seven latest bombshell claims from Earl Spencer memoir as he says 'Charles giddily elated after Diana's death'

More allegations about King Charles’ behaviour following Princess Diana’s death have emerged, upon the publication of more excerpts from her brother’s new memoir.In a new excerpt published on Thursday, it is alleged that the King sounded “giddily elated… like a lottery winner” when he rang Earl Spencer following his ex-wife’s death.Earl Spencer, brother of Diana, Princess of Wales (PA)PA ArchiveHere are the most shocking claims from the book so far.‘He sounded giddily elated – like a lottery winner’In possibly the most shocking new allegation, the Earl has said that Charles sounded “giddily elated” when they spoke just hours after Diana’s death.The Earl alleges that he was flooded with calls when the news broke, with many callers barely able to articulate their condolences and offers of help.Charles’ reaction, however, is alleged to have been somewhat different.Diana and Charles, with a baby Prince William PA ArchiveThe Earl wrote: “He sounded giddily elated – like a lottery winner, I remember thinking at the time.“He let me know he had informed William and Harry of their mother’s death, first thing that morning, in their bedrooms at Balmoral. It all sounded strangely matter-of-fact, given the enormity of the disaster.“Looking back now, I suspect the prince’s first reaction must have been to think more of how this event might free him to marry the woman he loved, rather than appreciating the loss of one he did not.”‘He was happy to marry her, but was not actually in love with her’The Earl claims that, the day before Charles and Diana’s wedding, his sister had confided to a close friend, her husband-­to-­be had told her that “he was very happy to marry her, but he was not actually in love with her.”He added that, just two months after becoming engaged, she had become so concerned about their relationship that she tried to break it off - but that her father said it was impossible to pull out of such an enormous commitment.‘In the throes of her eating disorder for five months’The Earl alleges that Diana told him that, on the day of her wedding, she had been “in the throes” of an eating disorder for five months.He claims that Diana “recoiled” from the photographs taken following her engagement, feeling that her 5ft 10in frame looked heavier than she wanted.APHe also claims that Prince Charles had squeezed her waist a few days after the engagement, saying, “Oh, a bit chubby here, aren’t we?”Read MoreDiana would later share with the Earl that her waist shrank from 29 to 22.5 inches between her engagement and her marriage, he says.The Earl claims that Diana’s issues were exacerbated when her care was handed over to Dr John Batten, a 58-­year-­old who had been the Queen’s physician since 1974, rather than long-term family GP, Mike Bloomer, a close family friend.‘Contemplating ending it all’The Earl claims that Diana considered suicide on a number of occasions in the years before her death.Diana, Princess of Wales (John Stillwell/PA)PA WireHe wrote: “It is a sad fact that, in her later years, Diana drove herself more than once to Beachy Head, the highest chalk sea cliff in England, while contemplating ending it all. “Her love for her sons stopped her from going further.”More extracts from the bombshell book are due to be released tomorrow.‘Growing frustrations at being a middle-aged man still waiting to reign’The Earl details the build-up to Diana’s funeral, for which he was the chosen point of contact for the Spencer family when it came to arrangements.He mentions “very serious tensions” between the Queen and then-Prince Charles’s teams ahead of the ceremony.This led to no one from the Royal Family talking to the Earl directly about the funeral arrangements - with such matters “farmed out” to a courtier instead. According to the Earl, these were caused by “the heir to the throne’s growing frustrations at being a middle-aged man still waiting to reign.” ‘Relieved – indeed, pleased – that she had gone’In the memoir, Earl Spencer is full of praise for Lieutenant Colonel Malcolm Ross, who was in charge of all ceremonial and official events that the Queen was to attend.He says that Lt Col Ross always treated him with extreme courtesy - unlike others in the Palace.Speaking of Diana, he wrote: “There were others in the Palace, I already knew, who were relieved – ­indeed, pleased – that she had gone.”‘We’ll forget her soon enough!’ The Earl says he insisted to the then-Prince of Wales that Diana would not have wanted Prince William and Prince Harry, then aged 15 and 12, to have made the difficult public walk in her funeral procession.According to an excerpt, the Earl told one of Queen Elizabeth II’s senior aides “that’s not going to happen”.Earl Spencer, William, Harry and Charles waiting as the hearse carrying the coffin of Diana, Princess of Wales prepares to leave Westminster Abbey following her funeral service (PA)PA ArchiveCharles called minutes later and told him that 18 years earlier he had walked in the funeral procession of his great-uncle, Lord Mountbatten - to which the Earl pointed out that Charles had been 30 at the time of Lord Mountbatten’s funeral in 1979.The Earl claims: “Prince Charles continued his stream of anger, without me interrupting. Then he stopped.“I assumed the pause signalled an effort to bring himself under control, but then he unleashed down the phone what I have always taken to be his pent-up contempt for Diana, and his horror that the world was so bowled over by her death. ‘Rest assured’, he hissed, ‘we’ll forget her soon enough!’” The Earl says he then hung up the phone. For help and support on eating disorders contact Beat Eating Disorders on 0808 801 0677. When life is difficult, Samaritans are available day or night, 365 days a year. You can call them for free on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org.