Princess Diana’s brother reveals ‘difficult’ job he undertook for his sister when she became a royal - and shares her biggest childhood fear

Princess Diana’s brother Earl Charles Spencer has revealed his sister's biggest, and most relatable, childhood fear in an interview as well as sharing details of the way he protected her when she married into the royal family.

Princess Diana's legacy is one that will carry through the ages. As well her image staying alive through the uncanny resemblance between her and her granddaughter, the young Princess Charlotte, and her family's iconic red hair living on through Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, there are the thousands of stories still yet to be told about the late Princess, each of which will keep her name in the public consciousness. 

One such story has just been revealed by Diana's younger brother, Earl Charles Spencer. In an interview with The Times to promote his upcoming book A Very Private School, the earl spoke about his late sister, who passed away in 1997, and gave some sweet insight into their childhood, detailing how Diana stepped up as a big sister to care for him after their mother left the family home - though there was one fear of her's that often stopped her rushing to his aid. 

"Diana looked after me because she was nearly three years older than me," he shared. "She said that the worst part was hearing me cry down the hall because she was terrified of the dark and couldn’t come to me." Perhaps Diana would've been able to curb her fear if the new Netflix film Orion and the Dark, which encourages kids to confront their fears, had been released back then! 

Still, the fact he was often left crying in his bedroom without her did nothing to dampen his affections for his sister. And when it was his turn to step up and protect her, rather than the other way round, he took on the 'difficult' job with no questions. 

Speaking about when Diana first began her relationship with the then Prince Charles, now King Charles III, the earl explained how he felt a duty to keep his sister grounded as he realised the drastic way her life would change when she would eventually marry Charles. 

He said, "I remember going to a dinner soon after she'd become what she became, given by sort of friends in a private room in a restaurant in Fulham. I remember thinking, 'Crikey, they're all sucking up to her like crazy.' I realised that my job was to be absolutely solid as a brother and just remain the same.

"That was sometimes difficult, because I'd say things that people weren't saying to her in a loving way, a constructive way, and I think it was tricky for her to hear anything except how marvellous life was — but I thought that was my duty. I was her little brother. We grew up together."

It's clear that Diana is still in her brother's mind and heart on a regular basis as he often shares previously unseen family photos of her on his Instagram page. Not only that, but him and his wife Lady Karen Spencer live at Althorp House, Princess Diana's childhood home and the place where she is buried.

In other royal news, Meghan Markle has opened up about the ‘cruel’ and ‘hateful’ online bullying she experienced throughout her pregnancies while experts have shared that Prince William is ‘determined’ that Prince George, Charlotte and Louis will never experience the ‘same emotional turmoil’ as he did growing up. It's been a busy time for the royals as King Charles is also writing up his ‘succession plans’ - though there are fears Princess Charlotte could 'lose her title' when her father becomes king.