Prince Harry in talks to make poignant documentary about his mum Princess Diana

Prince Harry in talks to make poignant documentary about his mum Princess Diana Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, is believed to want to mark the 30th anniversary of Princess Diana's death "in the most meaningful way" — and so a documentary is being considered The Duke of Sussex is in talks about making a documentary about his mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, as he considers how to mark the 30th anniversary of her death next year. Prince Harry wants to honour Diana’s legacy “in the most meaningful way”, it is understood, and has already approached a number of her friends and relatives about taking part in a potential programme, including her brother, Earl Spencer. But Earl Spencer has revealed in his new memoir, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, that he deliberately chose to write a book rather than appear as what he described as a “talking head” in one of the many productions being planned about his sister. The Earl, whose memoir is published on Tuesday, said he feared documentaries could be driven by a “flawed” agenda set by producers. His book contains a series of claims about the King, including remarks he alleges Charles made in the aftermath of Diana’s death. Harry’s plans for a personal documentary are likely to add another layer to tensions within the Royal Family, after years of high-profile revelations about the Sussexes’ relationship with the Prince of Wales and other members of the family. A source close to Harry told the Mirror: “The Duke has discussed a number of possible projects to mark the 30th anniversary of his mother Diana, Princess of Wales’s passing, and is still considering the most meaningful way to honour her legacy.” Any documentary would be expected to be produced through Harry and Meghan’s Archewell Productions, which has a first-look deal with Netflix. The project could become part of the wider public conversation around Diana’s legacy, with Kensington Palace yet to comment on how William may choose to mark the anniversary. Nine years ago, the brothers worked together on two documentaries about their mother to mark the 20th anniversary of her death. A joint project now appears unlikely given the deterioration in their relationship. Earl Spencer, 62, has sought to put his own version of Diana’s story on record with his memoir, telling reporters that her story deserved to be told “honestly, however uncomfortable for others”. He said: “I was an eyewitness to history, and where the truth is difficult, I haven’t shied away from it. “I did not consult any members of my family about the content of the book, as I did not want to implicate them in my authorial decisions, or to be constrained by them. I hope readers will see the book for what it is: an honest account.” Neither William nor Harry was given advance details of the memoir, while Earl Spencer is not thought to have consulted his sisters, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes, about their memories. The memoir has already triggered a bitter war of words with Buckingham Palace over claims concerning the King, who was Prince of Wales at the time of Diana’s death. Earl Spencer claims that, in the aftermath of Diana’s death, Charles told him: “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.” He also alleges that the King spoke in a “giddy tone”, which he compared to that of a “lottery winner”. Buckingham Palace swiftly rejected the account in a rare statement, suggesting the Earl’s recollection may have been affected by grief. A Palace spokesman said: “The pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgement and colour memory in ways others do not recognise, even many years after such a loss.” Earl Spencer subsequently accused the King of “gaslighting” him and described the Palace response as “astonishingly provocative”. Royal sources, meanwhile, accused him of exploiting what remained of Diana’s privacy. The Earl, who is expected to donate part of the memoir’s proceeds to charity, said he felt a responsibility to record his memories of his sister. “Writing around Diana’s life has been heavily mythologised, and much of what’s been written about her has been notable for its inaccuracy,” he said. “The 30th anniversary of her death is approaching; I am in my sixties now and I feel the passage of time more sharply than I once did. I don’t want to reach the end of my own life having left my sister’s story to be told by people who never knew her.” He added: “It is a personal account of my sister, Diana. It is not only her story, it is my story; a book which will stand the test of time.” The Earl said he decided to write the memoir about a year ago, after being approached to participate in other projects about Diana. “As a historian, I believe Diana’s story deserves to be told honestly, however uncomfortable for others, and because silence has its own cost,” he said. He revealed that he had turned down “endless, repeated” requests to appear in documentaries about his sister, including approaches from Diana’s biographer Andrew Morton and former Tony Blair adviser Alastair Campbell. Instead, he said he wanted to “tell things how I remember them” rather than follow “an agenda set by some TV producer I will never meet”. Harry made his third public appearance since returning to the UK on Monday evening, attending the annual WellChild Awards in central London. The Duke ignored questions about his family as he was escorted inside the Lancaster Hotel. During his speech, Harry praised the children and families honoured at the ceremony, which celebrates those living with complex medical needs. He said there was “not a dry eye in the house,” before telling parents: “Most of us will never truly know the emotional ups and downs of your day. “But I sincerely hope that you take strength from nights like this. And while we may not know the detail of your day, in this room and beyond, we recognise the commitment of your care and all that comes with it.”