By GB News (Politics) | Created at 2026-09-20 13:15:10 | Updated at 2026-09-20 14:58:11
1 hour ago
Sir Ed Davey has said he feels "sorry" about the bitter feud playing out between King Charles and Earl Charles Spencer during the Liberal Democrats' party conference in Brighton today.
The Lib Dem leader, 60, said families "often have these quarrels," and frequently "go back to things that may or may not have been said decades ago".
Buckingham Palace strongly retorted on Wednesday evening, stating that "fraternal grief can cloud reason, affect judgment and colour memory".
Earl Spencer himself responded to the Palace's carefully worded reaction, telling the newspaper overnight that he has been "gaslit by the King".
But, speaking to the BBC, Sir Ed was keen to play down the gravity of the public battle.
Sir Ed Davey has said he feels 'sorry' about the bitter feud playing out between King Charles and Earl Charles Spencer during the Liberal Democrats' party conference in Brighton today
PA
"I'm a huge fan of His Majesty and of the Royal Family, and that’s why I don’t really want to comment on what’s going on there," he explained.
"All I would say, I think people who will know from their own family experience - often families have these quarrels, and often they go back to things that may or may not have been said decades ago and it can be very painful.
"I just feel sorry for the royal family that this is being played out in public."
The party leader, 60, has become just the latest politician to weigh in on the saga between the Spencer and Windsor houses.
Earl Spencer ignited the war of words earlier this week, after accusing the King of saying, just days after Princess Diana's tragic car accident, "we'll forget her soon enough," in his bombshell new memoir
BBC
On Friday, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said: "I have a side and it's always on the side of His Majesty."
Former Tory MP Rory Stewart, who served as a tutor to both Prince William and Prince Harry, also sided with the monarch, saying he "simply cannot believe" the King made the alleged remarks.
"It's just not his character, it's not his personality. Never ever have I heard him say anything like that," he said.
Kemi Badenoch said on Friday that she is 'always on the side of His Majesty'
However, Chair of the Labour Party Bridget Phillipson stated it was "not for politicians to opine on the Royal Family".
"Clearly, these are family matters, but actually, I don’t think as politicians we should be inserting ourselves into discussions about the royal family," the women and equalities minister said.
"They don’t do that to us, and I think we owe them that responsibility in return."
