Prince Harry and his brother William won’t be inheriting a piece of their mother’s legacy in the form of her childhood home. When Princess Diana died a large part of her estate and wealth was inherited by the royal brothers, however, the infamous Althorp Estate, where Princess Diana spent her formative years and is now laid to rest, is poised to take a surprising turn in its ownership. The house will reportedly be handed over to Harry and William’s cousin Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp.
Prince Harry and William won’t inherit Diana’s house
Following the devastating car crash in Paris that took Princess Diana’s life in 1997, her sons, Princes William and Harry, inherited her personal fortune. (£13million fortune and loads of jewellery and wealth.) The grand Althorp Estate, a treasured property in the Spencer family since 1508 and where Diana spent her childhood, is now destined for her nephew Louis Spencer who is the son of Diana’s brother Earl Charles Spencer. This inheritance breaks the traditional path and adds a new chapter to the story of Diana’s legacy.
Who is Louis Spencer?
British aristocrat Louis Spencer, the eldest son and heir of Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, is the cousin of Prince William and Harry through their maternal lineage. Despite having three older sisters, Louis is set to inherit the family estate following the aristocratic tradition of “primogeniture, where titles and properties are passed down to the eldest male heir.”
“Primogeniture can be a tricky topic, because as times are changing, attitudes are as well,” Louis’ oldest sister Kitty told Town and Country magazine. “We’ve grown up understanding that it’s Louis’s to inherit, and Louis will do an incredible job,” the 33-year-old added.
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The unexpected heir to Diana’s property typically keeps a low profile and avoids the spotlight. After graduating from the University of Edinburgh, he pursued a career in acting/drama at a school in Chiswick, London. According to Sky News, the young actor has reportedly begun attending trustee meetings to follow the inheritance process.
“He has been to trustees’ meetings when he can. I don’t want to burden him,” Charles Spencer earlier told Telegraph. “It’s a lot. I would be totally relaxed about Kitty inheriting it, but…if I chose Kitty, it would be against all the tradition that goes with Althorp,” he added.