Dianas brother Charles Spencer to publish memoir on her life next month

Charles Spencer, the brother of the late Princess Diana, will publish a book about her life on Sept. 22, according to Penguin Random House. The memoir, titled *Swan Song: Diana, My Sister*, will appear in 12 languages and marks the first time Earl Spencer has spoken at length about his sister, the publisher said .

Spencer said the approaching 30th anniversary of Diana’s death in a Paris car crash on Aug. 31, 1997, prompted a surge in interview requests, which led him to write the book. “This has convinced me to write down my own thoughts and memories, once and for all, instead of going through the discomfort of reading other people’s opinions, many of which are based on untruths that have become accepted over time,” he said .

The book aims to present Diana’s story from her brother’s perspective, Spencer said, adding he wanted to “speak on Diana’s behalf and do so in an openly positive way.” He described her as “a one-off, dynamic character, full of love, charisma and self-doubt, who gave life a hell of a go, and left the world a far better place” .

Diana, the first wife of King Charles III, married in 1981 and divorced in 1996. She died at age 36 in a crash in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel in Paris while being pursued by paparazzi. Spencer delivered a widely noted eulogy at her funeral in Westminster Abbey, criticizing the royal family .

Daniel Bunyard, editorial director at Penguin Random House, called the book “a book of historic importance” about “one of the twentieth century’s most iconic and culturally significant figures” . The Spanish-language edition will be released on Sept. 23 by Plaza & Janés, with a Catalan version from Rosa dels Vents .