Althorp Estate to Stay in Spencer Line Through Traditional Inheritance Rule
Princess Diana's sons may have inherited her personal effects and wealth, but her cherished childhood home, the Althorp estate, will not be passed down to them. Instead, it is set to go to a different branch of the family—one still carrying the Spencer name.
Located in Northamptonshire and spanning 13,000 acres, the Althorp estate has been in the Spencer family since 1508 and is also Diana's final resting place. Yet it won't be inherited by William or Harry. The estate follows the tradition of primogeniture, where inheritance is passed to the eldest male heir, regardless of the birth order among siblings.
This means Diana's nephew, Louis Spencer—Viscount Althorp and the eldest son of Diana's brother, Charles Spencer—will eventually take over the estate. Although Louis has three older sisters, tradition dictates he is next in line.
Charles Spencer has previously addressed the issue, explaining to The Times: "If I chose Kitty, it would be against all the tradition that goes with Althorp... I get the problems with it as a concept. I also get the strengths of it having worked to date."
Even Lady Kitty Spencer, known for her support of gender equality, expressed comfort with the arrangement. Speaking to Tatler, she said, "I'm quite happy that that's going to be my brother's responsibility. I just think it's the right way... I like that the house stays within the same family, with the same surname."
Following Diana's death in 1997, both William and Harry inherited her personal estate, including carefully managed financial trusts. By the time they reached 30, each had received approximately £10 million.
They also received deeply sentimental keepsakes—William chose Diana's Cartier watch, while Harry originally selected her sapphire and diamond engagement ring. Later, Harry gave that ring to William, who used it to propose to Catherine, continuing Diana's legacy into the next generation of the royal family.
When Harry and Meghan Markle stepped back from royal life in 2020 and relocated to California, Diana's financial legacy proved vital. In his 2021 interview with Oprah Winfrey, Harry reflected, "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."
