Princess Diana’s Family Home Won’t Be Going to Prince Harry or Prince William

With the passing of Princess Diana back in 1997, her two sons, Prince Harry and Prince William, immediately “received the bulk” of her £13 million fortune according to The Mirror—in addition to much of her jewelry collection. But the publication notes that one major part of her life won’t be going to her children. Althorp Estate and its 13,500 acres, which is where Diana grew up and is also where she was laid to rest after her death, will go to Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp.

The property has been in the Spencer family since 1508 and is currently under the care of Diana’s brother, Earl Charles Spencer. Louis is his son and even though he has three older sisters, the aristocracy’s system of primogeniture means that he’ll get the estate. Primogeniture states that titles and property are transferred through the eldest male.

Louis manages to stay away from the spotlight. According to The Telegraph, sources shared that “he’s super private and gets on quietly with his thing. He’s a very talented actor and, I think, will be a brilliant one. You’d like him. He’s very low-key and genuine, decent and kind and tall.” The newspaper also referred to him as “Prince Harry lite” and “England’s most eligible man.”

Kitty Spencer, Louis’s older sister, opened up about the ins and outs of inheritance. She told Town & Countrythat since all the siblings grew up knowing Louis would inherit the property, there wasn’t much to think about.

“Primogeniture can be a tricky topic, because as times are changing, attitudes are as well. We’ve grown up understanding that it’s Louis to inherit, and Louis will do an incredible job,” she said.

And while Louis is hoping to chase his acting dreams, he’s been attending trustee meetings for years now, so he’s ready to take over when he needs to.

“He has been to trustees’ meetings when he can. I don’t want to burden him,” Charles Spencer said before opening up about the possibility of the estate going to his daughter. “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.”

Currently, the property boasts a main house with 90 rooms spread over 100,000 square feet and includes a portrait gallery, lake, and “28 subsidiary listed structures,” which span “farming, forestry, and field sports businesses.”