Grave robbers have targeted Princess Diana's grave, Earl Spencer reveals

The Princess of Wales's brother has revealed there have been four attempted break-ins to Diana's tomb over the past 20 years.

Earl Spencer said the decision to bury Diana on an island at Althorp, the Spencer family estate, rather than in the family tomb was to protect her privacy.

He added the secluded spot was the "safest" place for her, saying "we've had four attempted break-ins towards her body in the last 20 years. I'm very glad we've seen them all off".

Earl Spencer also claimed Buckingham Palace "lied" to him over the decision to have Prince William and Prince Harry walk behind their mother's coffin.

Earl Spencer said he had been a "passionate advocate" against the decision, saying it was "bizarre" and "cruel" to make her young sons walk in the funeral procession, watched by millions.

He said his sister would not have wanted it and told palace officials of his objection, adding: "Eventually I was lied to and told they wanted to do it, which of course they didn't but I didn't realise that."

Harry has only recently spoken about his mother's funeral, saying: “I don’t think any child should be asked to do that, under any circumstances. I don’t think it would happen today.”

William, now the Duke of Cambridge, was 15 and Harry 12 when their mother was killed in a car crash in Paris on August 31 1997.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he said: "The feeling, the sort of absolute crashing tidal wave of grief coming at you as you went down this sort tunnel of deep emotion, it was really harrowing and I still have nightmares about it now."

Told he had said some "pretty pointed things" during the speech while standing opposite the Royal Family, Earl Spencer replied: "I don't feel I said many pointed things, I believe that every word I said was true and it was important for me to be honest.

"I wasn't looking to make any jabs at anyone actually, I was trying to celebrate Diana - and if by doing that it showed up particularly the press, I think, in a bad way, well, they had that coming."

Asked if the Queen or anyone else said anything to him about the speech, Earl Spencer replied: "Somebody I know very well said to her 'What do you think?' and she said 'He had every right to say whatever he felt, it was his sister's funeral'. So that's all."

He went on to criticise the behaviour of "the paparazzi" and "the tabloids" in Diana's final years. 

"I remember she told me about one man who promised to hound her until the day she died and he would urinate on her grave.

"So she was dealing with a very dark side of the media and even at her funeral I thought it was appropriate to touch on that."