Charles Spencer reveals that his late sister, Diana, Princess of Wales was "always very protective" over him, particularly in their childhood years and even insisted on checking on her little brother on his first day at school.
In an exclusive interview with HELLO! Canada, the 9th Earl Spencer says that he and Diana, who were less than three years apart in age, grew especially close following their parents' divorce.
"My mother [Frances] left home when we were young – I was two or three, and Diana would have been five or six – so we were very much in it together," he says.
Their tight-knit bond is portrayed, too, in the opening chapter of Charles's new memoir, A Very Private School, released earlier this month, during which he shares a touching anecdote about his first day at Silfield – the Norfolk school that he and Diana both attended before being sent off to their respective boarding schools.
According to their former teacher Miss Lowe, Diana was ever the supportive sister that day and "just wouldn't settle" in class until she knew her little brother was OK.
After she'd been given permission to go and check on him in his classroom, the future People's Princess returned with a "beaming smile" before declaring, with relief in her voice, "Thank you, Charles seems to be doing fine!"
The brief but poignant story is an early illustration of Diana’s compassionate nature, for which she was later beloved by millions around the world.
To read the full interview, pick up the latest issue of HELLO! Canada magazine out on newsstands today.
The Earl, who is custodian of the Spencer family's ancestral seat, Althorp, in Northampton regularly shares anecdotes about his beloved sister, Diana, on his popular Instagram account.
Earlier this week, Charles, 59, shared a photograph of mementos from Park House, where he and Diana grew up as children.
The sweet snap showed two bedroom door nameplates, with Diana's surrounded by pink roses and Charles's featuring blue flowers.
Giving context to the special decorations, Charles penned in the caption: "The early part of my childhood memoir, A Very Private School, deals with the happy early years I enjoyed at Park House - home to me for my first 11 years.
"My father had vibrant nameplates on his children’s bedroom doors there - I must find those with 'Sarah' and 'Jane' on them."