India, Sept. 17 -- Buckingham Palace has taken the extraordinary step of responding publicly to allegations contained in Earl Charles Spencer's forthcoming memoir, instructing palace officials to challenge his recollection of a heated telephone conversation allegedly conducted between King Charles and Diana's brother in the days following the princess's death in 1997.

The response represents a rare institutional departure from royal protocol, which traditionally counsels silence in the face of criticism from former family members, and signals the depth of concern within the royal establishment regarding revelations scheduled for publication in Spencer's book "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister" on 22 September.

A palace spokesperson stated on ...