Earl Spencer apologises to Piers Morgan over factual error in Diana book

Earl Spencer has apologised to Piers Morgan over a factual error in his new book about Diana, Princess of Wales.

In his memoir, Earl Spencer said Morgan was editor of the Daily Mirror when the Mirror Group published "highly intrusive photographs of Princess Diana at the gym".

Earl Spencer, Diana's brother, admitted "his assumption was incorrect" and "apologises to Mr Morgan for this error", a statement said.

Morgan has acknowledged Earl Spencer's apology, but doubled down on his threat of legal action.

In a post on social media after the apology, Morgan said: "I am pursuing legal action against him and his publisher Penguin to have the lies removed, and damages paid to the King's Trust."

On Monday, Morgan had said he would sue Earl Spencer and his publishers over "fabricated inaccuracies".

The photographs of Princess Diana mentioned in relation to Morgan in Earl Spencer's book were published by the Sunday Mirror on 7 November 1993.

At the time, Morgan was working at The Sun and did not join the Mirror as its editor until 1995.

The BBC understands Penguin, the publishers of Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, will be amending this one point in future editions of the book.

Speaking on his YouTube show, Piers Morgan Uncensored, Morgan read out a section the book, in which Earl Spencer wrote: "They realised they were unable to be rude to the brother of the much-mourned princess…

"The only one who sounded surly, as opposed to merely confused or embarrassed, was Piers Morgan of the Mirror, who snarled with annoyance before he hung up.

"I assumed Morgan must be feeling particular guilt because, four years earlier, he and his Sunday Mirror counterpart had published photographs taken with hidden cameras by a gym owner. They were of Diana working out in a leotard.

"This was such an intolerable invasion of her privacy that Diana instructed lawyers to sue the Mirror Group and to block further use of the images."

A spokesperson for Diana's brother said in a statement that "Earl Spencer's account of his conversation with Piers Morgan is accurate. Mr Morgan was surly and annoyed when Earl Spencer called personally to tell him that he was not welcome at his sister's funeral."

The statement admitted the factual error, and said that "as an historian, accuracy is important to Earl Spencer. He therefore wishes to clarify that his assumption was incorrect. Earl Spencer apologises to Mr Morgan for this error."

Swan Song, which contains a string of allegations including that King Charles said "we'll forget her soon enough" in the days after her death, has led to a war of words between the Earl and Buckingham Palace.