Princess Diana’s brother Charles Spencer has lifted the lid on a bizarre moment involving Prince Andrew that left even his sister noticing the teenager’s reaction.
The extraordinary memory appears in Spencer’s explosive new memoir about Diana, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, and dates back to a service at the Church of St Mary Magdalene at Sandringham.
According to Spencer, he and Diana were sitting in church when a teenage Andrew reacted to an unexpected phrase from the priest.
And his response was anything but solemn.
Andrew’s Unusual Church Reaction
Spencer recalls that Andrew raised his eyebrows with what he described as “theatrical exaggeration” before breaking into a smirk.
The reason?
The priest had apparently referred to “the virgin’s womb.”
Spencer writes that Andrew appeared greatly amused by the reference to female anatomy in the middle of the otherwise serious religious service.
And Diana noticed it too.
The moment, recalled decades later by her brother, has emerged as one of the stranger anecdotes in Spencer’s new book — adding another unusual chapter to the complicated history surrounding the late princess and the Royal Family.
Diana Was There to Witness It
What makes the story particularly striking is that Diana was reportedly sitting alongside her brother when the incident occurred.
Rather than describing a major royal confrontation, Spencer portrays it as a fleeting glimpse of Andrew’s personality as a teenager.
But decades later, the seemingly trivial moment has resurfaced as part of a much larger memoir packed with controversial recollections about life inside the Royal Family.
Another Bombshell From Diana’s Brother
The Andrew anecdote is just one of several revelations contained in Spencer’s memoir.
Elsewhere, he recounts deeply personal conversations with Diana about the breakdown of her marriage to the then-Prince Charles.
Spencer also claims Diana once told him that her husband was “in love with his valet”, although he acknowledges that he never established whether she meant the remark literally and that she did not identify the alleged staff member.
The memoir has also triggered controversy over Spencer’s recollections of King Charles and the aftermath of Diana’s death.
Royal Family Facing Fresh Scrutiny
Spencer’s book has reopened painful memories from one of the darkest periods in modern royal history.
Among his most controversial claims is his recollection that then-Prince Charles told him, following Diana’s death, “we’ll forget her soon enough.” Buckingham Palace pushed back against the account, saying grief can affect memory and judgment.
Spencer has also become embroiled in a dispute with Piers Morgan after acknowledging an error concerning the publication of photographs of Diana. Morgan has threatened legal action, while Spencer subsequently apologised for his mistaken assumption.
The Strange Detail Nobody Saw Coming
Against the backdrop of those much bigger revelations, the story of teenage Andrew’s reaction in church might appear relatively minor.
Yet it is precisely the bizarre nature of the memory that has caught attention.
A teenage prince.
A solemn church service.
A reference to “the virgin’s womb.”
And a smirk witnessed by his older sister Diana.
Decades later, Charles Spencer has brought the strange scene back into the spotlight — offering readers another glimpse into the personalities behind the walls of the Royal Family.