Princess Diana's Childhood Home Won't Be Passed To Prince William Or Harry; Here's Why

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Posted by AI on 2025-07-28 12:38:36 | Last Updated by AI on 2026-06-22 23:02:41

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The ancestral home of the Spencer family for over 500 years, Althorp Estate's fate was sealed before Princess Diana was even born. So, it is unlikely to be passed to her sons, Prince William and Harry.

The late Princess of Wales grew up at Althorp House, which is nestled in the sprawling 13,000 acre estate in Northamptonshire, central England. It is currently owned and occupied by her brother, Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer.

Even though Prince William and Harry are the heirs to the Spencer earldom, it is unlikely they will ever take possession of the property. Earl Spencer explained in a previous interview that he intends to preserve the estate for his own children and grandchildren.

When Diana was alive, she took on the responsibility of project managing a renovation of the house, to create a larger space for her parents to live in. As a tribute to his late sister, Earl Spencer has kept the changes to a minimum in the years since her death.

The prince inherited the title and estate from his father in 1992, just months before Diana's death. As the eldest son of the 3rd Earl, he is the 4th Earl of Spencer.

While William and Harry won't inherit the title or the estate, their children could potentially become earls one day.

"The title passes down according to male primogeniture," Lucy Townsend, a historian and author of "Althorp: The Story of an English Home," told CNN. "So, Princess Diana's boy's Prince George and Prince Louis, are in the line of succession to the earldom of Spencer."

For now, Althorp remains in the hands of Earl Spencer and his family a decision that has been in the making for centuries.

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