Who was King Charles' valet? Diana's brother revives shock claim about king

Key Points:

• Charles Spencer’s new book alleges that Princess Diana sought a divorce after discovering that Prince Charles was in love with his valet, a claim briefly mentioned but not deeply explored by Spencer.
• The valet in question, Michael Fawcett, was a close confidant of Charles who later became embroiled in a "cash-for-honors" scandal, though previous allegations of a sexual relationship between Charles and Fawcett were investigated and found unsubstantiated.
• The rumor originated from George Smith, another valet, who made distressing claims during a mental health crisis; Diana reportedly recorded his account, which vanished after her death.
• Buckingham Palace has broadly repudiated Spencer’s book, warning that grief can distort memory, and Charles’ spokesperson in 2003 dismissed the valet affair allegations as “totally ludicrous and risible.”
• The book also reveals tense post-Diana death interactions between Spencer and Charles, including a dispute over the funeral procession, where Charles allegedly expressed contempt for Diana, shocking commentators and royal observers.