Charles Spencer, younger brother of Princess Diana, opened up about the childhood trauma he shared with his sister after their parents, John and Frances Spencer, separated in 1969. Charles, the 9th Earl Spencer, told The Sunday Times that he underwent "painful and frightening" work in therapy to cope with the aftereffects of his childhood.

"Diana and I had two older sisters, and she went to school, so me and Diana were very close. 'Our father was a quiet, constant source of love, but our mother was not fit to give birth. It wasn't her fault.

"While I was packing my bags to leave, I promised Diana (then 5 years old) that I would come back to see her. Diana waited at the door but never came. She heard me crying in the hallway, but she was too afraid of the dark to come."

"I have been in and out of therapy for 20 years. Last year I did a lot of very deep work on my unhappy childhood. 'I'm not saying that out of self-pity. But the result was cathartic. It was nice to come out the other side."