Princes William and Harry inherited many of Princess Diana’s personal belongings and a share of her financial estate after her tragic passing in 1997, her beloved childhood home, Althorp, is set to pass to another family member, one they call cousin.
The historic 13,000-acre Althorp estate in Northamptonshire, where Diana is buried and which has been in the Spencer family since 1508, won’t go to either of her sons.
Instead, the grand home will one day belong to her nephew, Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp—the eldest son of Diana’s brother, Charles Spencer.
The estate follows the age old rule of primogeniture, meaning the family title and estate are passed down to the eldest male heir, regardless of sibling order.
Despite having three older sisters Lady Kitty, Lady Eliza, and Lady Ameli. Louis is the chosen heir to carry on the Spencer legacy.
Charles Spencer previously defended the decision, telling The Times, “If I chose Kitty, it would be against all the tradition that goes with Althorp. It’s just the way it is. I get the problems with it as a concept. I also get the strengths of it having worked to date.”
Even Kitty, known for championing gender equality, acknowledged the system has its place when it comes to heritage.
“I’m totally pro-gender equality,” she told Tatler, “But I’m quite happy that that’s going to be my brother’s responsibility. I just think it’s the correct way.”
"I like that the house stays within the same family, with the same surname. I wouldn't want it any other way for the Spencers. And I just know my brother is going to do an impeccable job," Lady Kitty Spencer said.
When she passed in 1997, William and Harry inherited her personal estate, which was placed in trusts and carefully invested. By the time they turned 30, each had received an estimated £10 million.
The princes were also given deeply personal treasures. One cherished item each from her jewellery collection: William chose her Cartier watch, while Harry selected her sapphire and diamond engagement ring.
But Harry later gave that ring to William, who used it to propose to Kate Middleton ensuring that her legacy would live on in the next generation of royals.
When he and Meghan Markle made the bold decision to step away from royal duties and relocate to California in 2020, the financial support from Diana’s estate became their lifeline.
Speaking to Oprah Winfrey during their explosive 2021 interview, Harry shared:
“I brought what my mom left me. And without that, we would not have been able to do this... I think she saw it coming. I certainly felt her presence throughout this whole process.”
