Charles and Karen are de-cluttering the house© Getty

Charles Spencer's wife Karen reveals incredible transformation at family home

Princess Diana's younger brother is custodian of the Spencer estate

Senior Online Writer
November 19, 2023

Earl Spencer and his wife Karen, Countess Spencer, live in and look after their historical family estate, Althorp House, sharing glimpses of their home to social media. 

On Sunday, Karen will no doubt have impressed her Instagram followers when she posted a stunning garden makeover

The gorgeous scene showed a newly-tidied and very orderly series of squares with hedges and trees in the background of the spacious area, which is enclosed by a wall. 

WATCH: Earl Charles Spencer shares panoramic look at Princess Diana’s resting place

The Countess captioned the image: "Wow, drying garden has been cleared!" The previous week, her husband shared another gorgeous photo of Althorp's grounds – and this one related to his late sister. 

The father-of-seven sparked a fan reaction last Sunday when he posted an otherworldly picture of Princess Diana's final resting place at the Oval Lake. Taking to Instagram, the 59-year-old posted a throwback image of the round oval lake from three years ago. 

© Instagram

The garden has been transformed

The ornamental lake at Althorp House – which is famed for being the place where Princess Diana is buried - looked utterly serene surrounded by a sea of trees and swirling clouds. Captioning the image, Charles penned: "I took this photograph of the Round Oval lake at @althorphouse exactly three years ago, and it remains one of my favourite Althorp images." 

He continued: "A lucky moment for me, when this corner of the Park at Althorp was swathed in a particular, piercing, beauty." Fans and friends flocked to the comments section to share their thoughts, with one writing: "Very mystical and serene. Like a painting," while another chimed in: "A very mystical photo in the sunlight. It looks like an oil painting, worthy of that." 

© Instagram

An earlier view of the same outdoor space

A third remarked: "It is otherworldly and stunning," and a fourth wrote: "Hauntingly beautiful." Princess Diana's resting place is only accessible via boat and is off-limits to the public. 

In 1998, Diana's brother reportedly said the lake would "act as a buffer against the interventions of the insane and ghoulish, the thick mud presenting a further line of defence." He went on to say: "We all agreed that, with its beauty and tranquillity, this was the place for Diana to be."

© Max Mumby/Indigo

Charles with his wife Karen

Charles grew up at Althorp House with his three older sisters, including Princess Diana, and inherited the family home when his father John died in 1992. He became the 9th Earl Spencer and has been working hard ever since to renovate his family's ancestral seat

The stunning property, which boasts an impressive 93 rooms and a staggering 550 acres, is open to the public over the summer months, and offers visitors the chance to tour many of the home's rooms and grounds. 

© Instagram

Althorp House is located in West Northamptonshire

Royal fans and visitors are also able to visit Princess Diana's poignant shrine which has been erected as a tribute to Prince Harry and Prince William's mother. The poignant temple, which is located just opposite Oval Lake, is accessible to the public and visitors typically leave flowers, cards and meaningful tributes. 

Inside, there is a bespoke black bench and a large plaque complete with Princess Diana's silhouette, sprigs of flowers and the family crest. 

Check out our Right Royal Podcast, where we discuss Prince William's proposal and other royal romances…

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