Prince Harry now has a very awkward question hanging over him after reports revealed that he was aware of his uncle Charles Spencer’s explosive new book about Princess Diana before the claims became public, yet apparently did not tell his father, King Charles, what was coming.

The revelation has immediately created a new layer to an already extraordinary royal drama because the issue is not simply whether Harry knew that Spencer was writing a book. According to Page Six and reporting from the Daily Mail, Harry was given an advance copy, discussed the book with Spencer during a visit to Althorp in July and was aware that it contained highly sensitive material about King Charles and Diana — but a source close to Harry says he did not read the book.

That distinction appears to be at the center of Harry’s defense.

In other words, Harry’s position is essentially that knowing about the existence and subject matter of the book is not the same as reading its contents, knowing precisely what Spencer had written or knowing exactly when the allegations would be published.

And that matters because Spencer’s Swan Song: Diana, My Sister contains one of the most explosive claims yet to emerge about the aftermath of Diana’s death.

Spencer alleges that, during a heated argument with the then-Prince Charles over whether William and Harry should walk behind their mother’s coffin, Charles told him: “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.” Spencer says he was stunned by the remark and replied, “I can’t believe you just said that,” before ending the call.

Spencer also describes the decision to have Diana’s young sons participate in the funeral procession as something he strongly opposed, writing that he believed Diana would not have wanted them subjected to the ordeal. Harry himself has previously described the experience in similarly painful terms, saying in Spare that “No child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances.”

That connection makes Harry’s reported conversation with Spencer particularly interesting.

Harry was not a stranger to the subject. He was Diana’s son, Spencer is his uncle, and the two have remained close. Yet Harry’s reported explanation is that although he knew about the book and talked to Spencer about it, he did not actually read it.

So the defense becomes almost a matter of technicality: Harry knew the book existed, Harry knew his uncle was writing about Diana, Harry apparently discussed the project with Spencer, but Harry says he did not read the manuscript and therefore could not have known the precise allegations that were about to explode.

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Meanwhile, Buckingham Palace has taken the unusual step of responding to Spencer’s claims, although it stopped short of directly calling him a liar.

The Palace said: “While we do not comment on books as a matter of principle, His Majesty is mindful that the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and color memory in ways others do not recognize, even many years after such a loss.”

That statement is extraordinary precisely because it addresses the reliability of Spencer’s recollection without directly litigating every detail of his account.

Spencer, however, has defended the purpose of his memoir, saying: “The aim of this book is to tell the truth about Diana from her brother’s perspective.” He has also said he wanted to speak on Diana’s behalf in an “openly positive way.”

And that leaves Harry in an uncomfortable position even if his explanation is accepted.

He may insist that he did not read the book, but reports indicate that he knew enough about the project to discuss it directly with the man who wrote it. At the same time, his father was preparing to face allegations that strike at one of the most painful periods of his life.

The question now is whether Harry’s explanation will settle the matter or simply create another question: if he knew his uncle was preparing a deeply personal account of Diana and King Charles, why did he not warn his father that something explosive could be coming?

That question is likely to remain part of the royal drama as Swan Song: Diana, My Sister reaches readers and the competing memories of Diana’s final days once again collide in public.