Earl Spencer 'a hypocrite'

Resting place: the funeral cortege arrives at Althorp

Earl Spencer was today accused of hypocrisy in his funeral address for his sister Princess Diana.

In his famous Westminster Abbey speech he described Diana as being the "essence of compassion... a symbol of selfless humanity" and criticised the royal family for failing to support her.

But today it emerged that a letter he wrote to his sister months before reduced her to tears by branding her "mentally-ill" and "deceitful". In it he also refused to take her in when she was desperate for a home.

The attack is revealed in the Daily Mirror serialisation of her former butler Paul Burrell's book.

In the letter , which devastated Diana when she read it on 4 April 1996, he told his sister: "I know how manipulation and deceit are part of the illness. I pray you are getting treatment for your mental problems."

Spencer went on to criticise the Princess for the "consternation and hurt your fickle friendship has caused so many". He added: "Our relationship is the weakest I have had with any sister."

In his book, A Royal Service, Mr Burrell says that the letter "had driven the Princess to tearful despair." Mr Burrell writes: "The Princess felt she was over her bulimia.

"But what upset her most was the suggestion that she was mentally ill. 'Mental problems' was a phrase she had thought she would only ever hear from the sniping friends of Prince Charles."

Mr Burrell also says Diana was extremely upset by Earl Spencer's demand that she return the family tiara and by his refusal to allow her to live on the family estate at Althorp, ostensibly for fear of attracting more media interest.

The latest revelations come as Buckingham Palace lawyers have requested a copy of the book to decide if Mr Burrell has breached the laws of copyright or confidentiality.

It also comes as Prince Charles's former senior aide Mark Bolland today launched an astonishing attack on the royal family.

He claims unless the royal family and their "snooty" advisers radically change, Britain could become a republic.

Mr Bolland, the controversial media adviser who quit his post as Charles' spin doctor to set up his own PR company, said the royals and their "grey-suited" advisers are "out of touch" and inflicting "terminal" damage on the institution.

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