--- title: "Princess Diana's brother suggested his sister may have had undiagnosed ADHD" description: "In the memoir \"Swan Song,\" published on September 22, 2026, Princess Diana's brother Charles Spencer suggested that his sister may have had undiagnosed ADHD. Diana never received an official diagnosis during her lifetime." date: 2026-09-22T09:04:00.000Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/princess-dianas-brother-suggested-she-may-have-undiagnosed-adhd tags: [princess-diana, adhd, charles-spencer, memoirs, royal-family, dyslexia] publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Princess Diana's brother suggested his sister may have had undiagnosed ADHD ![Princess Diana in a black gown and diamond necklace at a formal event — her brother suggested she may have had undiagnosed DID](https://xab.info/media/2026/09/22/brat-printsesi-diani-predpolozhil-chto-u-sestry-mog-byt-rdug/brat-printsesi-diani-predpolozhil-chto-u-sestry-mog-byt-rdug-1.webp) ## 🎯 Key Points - Charles Spencer's memoir "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister" was published on September 22, 2026. - Spencer, who received an ADHD diagnosis in adulthood, suggested that Diana may have had undiagnosed ADHD. - School reports, according to the author, noted difficulties with concentration, restlessness, and possible signs of dyslexia. - The term RSD mentioned is not an official medical diagnosis; the author explicitly refuses to diagnose his sister retrospectively. On September 22, 2026, the memoir by Charles Spencer, brother of the late Princess Diana, titled "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister" was published. In it, the Earl Spencer shares memories of his sister's childhood, her life in the royal family, and her final years. One of the most discussed topics in the book is the author's suggestion that Diana may have had undiagnosed attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). ### Personal experience as a key to understanding his sister Charles Spencer himself received an ADHD diagnosis in adulthood. In his words, this changed his perspective on the difficulties Diana faced in childhood. He notes that his sister had problems with her studies: she struggled to concentrate, had difficulties with spelling and word and letter order. Spencer also suggests that Diana may have had dyslexia. ### Corroboration from school reports The brother's observations partially align with the characteristics he says are quoted from school reports in the memoir. Teachers noted from an early age that the girl found it hard to focus for long, could become restless in class, and was easily distracted. One report indicated that poor concentration was hindering her learning. In Spencer's view, these details fit the profile typical of ADHD. ### "Rejection sensitivity" and emotional reactions The author separately addresses his sister's emotional reactions to conflicts with close people: Diana could cut off contact with someone for a long time if she felt let down by them. Spencer links this to what he calls rejection sensitivity and mentions the term "rejection sensitive dysphoria" (RSD). It is important to note, however, that RSD is not a separate official medical diagnosis or a formally recognized symptom of ADHD. ### Contradictory reporting Reporting in various outlets differs in its wording: some headlines present the information as an established fact ("suffered from ADHD"), while Spencer himself consistently speaks only of his own speculation and explicitly states that he does not want to diagnose his sister retrospectively. Thus, the memoir is not evidence that Diana had ADHD: it is the author's personal interpretation, based on his own experience and memories, rather than a medical conclusion. The difference between "may have had" and "suffered from" matters for a correct understanding of the material. ### The author's purpose According to Charles Spencer, his goal is not retrospective diagnosis, but explaining his sister's behavioral traits through his own experience and showing how difficult the period was for Diana, when much less was known about such conditions. The book thus functions more as a personal testimony and an attempt to reframe her biography than as clinical material. ## 🔍 Fact-Check Verification - [Princess Diana may have had ADHD: her brother spoke of unusual childhood symptoms](https://wave.rbc.ua/ukr/stars/printsesa-diana-mogla-mati-rdug-yiyi-brat-1790066651.html) - Основной источник: выход мемуаров 22.09.2026, предположение о РДУГ, школьные характеристики, упоминание RSD и отказ от ретроспективной диагностики. - [Pushed her stepmother down the stairs: Princess Diana's brother reveals the truth about her secret conflict](https://24tv.ua/show24/ru/princessa-diana-stradala-rdug-brat-charlz-spenser-raskryl-pravdu-o-zdorove-sestry_n3146531) - Подтверждает тему РДУГ и мемуаров; заголовок содержит дополнительные сюжетные детали, не подтверждённые основным текстом, поэтому не использовались в статье. - [Princess Diana's brother suggested she may have had undiagnosed ADHD](https://ua.news/ru/znamenitosti/brat-printsesi-diani-pripustiv-shcho-vona-mala-nediagnostovanii-rdug) - Совпадает с основной версией: речь о предположении о недиагностированном РДУГ. - [Princess Diana may have suffered from ADHD: brother reveals details of her character](https://focus.ua/lifestyle/768571-princessa-diana-vozmozhno-stradala-rdug-brat-raskryl-podrobnosti-ee-haraktera) - Совпадает по сути; формулировка «возможно, страдала» отражает спектр подача в СМИ, учтённый в блоке противоречивых данных. ## ❓ FAQ ### Q: Did Princess Diana ever receive an official ADHD diagnosis? **A:** No. Diana never received an official ADHD diagnosis during her lifetime. Charles Spencer merely suggested that his sister may have shown signs of the disorder, based on his own experience and memories. ### Q: When was Charles Spencer's memoir about his sister published? **A:** The book "Swan Song: Diana, My Sister" was published on September 22, 2026. ### Q: What is RSD, and is it a diagnosis? **A:** RSD ("rejection sensitive dysphoria") is a term mentioned by Spencer to describe Diana's emotional reactions. It is not a separate official medical diagnosis or a formally recognized symptom of ADHD. ### Q: Does the author want to diagnose his sister retrospectively? **A:** No. Spencer explicitly states that he does not want to diagnose his sister retrospectively; his goal is to explain the traits of her behavior through his own experience and to show how difficult the period was when little was known about such conditions.