Charles Spencer’s explosive new memoir has reopened some of the most painful and controversial chapters surrounding Princess Diana, placing King Charles III under renewed scrutiny while also creating another deeply uncomfortable moment for a Royal Family that has spent decades trying to move beyond the events surrounding Diana’s marriage, divorce and death.

Yet amid all of the growing attention, Prince Harry found himself in a rather revealing position because he was given an opportunity to address the controversy surrounding his uncle’s book, and while he was perfectly willing to speak to reporters about his return to Britain, his children, their schooling and his Invictus work, he appeared to have nothing to say when the conversation moved toward the allegations involving his father and uncle.

At the Invictus Spirit Awards in London, as Harry arrived at the event he was asked about being back in Britain, and rather than avoiding the press altogether, he responded warmly, telling reporters, “Good. It’s good to be back on British soil.”

That willingness to engage continued when the subject turned to his children and their new life in the United Kingdom, with Harry telling HELLO! that “Kids are in school. We’re happy,” before adding that it was “great to be back on British soil” and that he was looking forward to Birmingham hosting the Invictus Games next year.

Harry even appeared willing to engage in lighter conversation with reporters. He was caught joking when asked about the highlights of his return, “Oh, I don’t know. Would I dare share it with you?” — a small exchange, perhaps, but one that demonstrated that he was not simply refusing to speak to journalists or attempting to disappear from public questioning altogether.

That is precisely what makes the unanswered question about Charles Spencer’s memoir so noticeable. Harry was talking and engaging. He was discussing Britain, his children and his future plans.

But when the subject moved toward the explosive allegations contained in his uncle’s forthcoming book, the conversation stopped.

And the timing could hardly be more significant because “Swan Song: Diana, My Sister” has already generated extraordinary headlines before its official publication, with Spencer alleging that King Charles sounded “giddily elated — like a lottery winner” when he spoke about Diana’s death, while also suggesting that Charles may have viewed Diana’s death as an opportunity to marry “the woman he loved,” meaning Camilla.

Another allegation has proved even more emotionally charged, with Spencer claiming that during an argument surrounding Diana’s funeral, Charles told him, “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.” Buckingham Palace has strongly rejected the characterization, saying that “the pain of fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory,” while Spencer has continued to stand behind his recollection.

For Harry, this presented an extraordinary moment because, whether or not he had any advance knowledge of what Spencer intended to publish, he could have used the opportunity to make clear that the reports were inaccurate, explain that he had not seen the material in advance, defend his father from allegations that directly concern the death of his mother, or even simply say that he did not want to comment on his uncle’s recollections.

Play

Instead, Harry chose another subject entirely, speaking about his children and emphasizing how happy the family was to be back in Britain, which meant that the one topic capable of directly addressing the controversy surrounding King Charles was left untouched.

That silence should not automatically be interpreted as agreement with Spencer’s allegations, because Harry’s refusal to comment does not establish what he believes about the claims, nor does it prove that he knew what was contained in the memoir before the excerpts became public.

But it does create a striking contrast that is difficult to overlook, particularly because Harry was clearly prepared to answer questions from reporters when those questions concerned his own life.

He could talk about returning to Britain and his children starting school. He could talk about Invictus and joke with reporters.

What he did not do was defend his father, challenge his uncle’s version of events or offer his own account of what he knew about the book.

Perhaps Harry simply wanted to keep the focus on his family and avoid becoming embroiled in another chapter of the long-running dispute surrounding Princess Diana, and perhaps discussing his children was a deliberate way of steering the conversation toward something positive rather than allowing another royal family controversy to dominate his return to Britain.

But whatever the reasoning, the contrast remains striking: Prince Harry was willing to talk to the reporters — he simply was not willing to talk about his father, his uncle or the latest Diana bombshells.

And with more revelations from Spencer’s memoir expected around its September 22 publication, the question of what Harry knew, what Spencer may have told him and whether the Duke will eventually address the allegations could remain part of the story long after the initial headlines have faded.