Skip to main contentSkip to footer

Charles Spencer shares unearthed childhood memory from Princess Diana's 'happy' family home

The ninth Earl Spencer lives at Althorp House, with his wife, Lady Karen


Charles Spencer and Diana, Princess of Wales
On 26 March 2024
Share this:

Charles Spencer  never fails to delight fans with special artefacts from around his home, Althorp House.  

On Monday, the ninth Earl Spencer, 59, unveiled two very meaningful objects, but this time from Park House, the childhood home he shared with his sister Princess Diana, up to age 11. The photo showed two bedroom door nameplates. The first read, "Diana," and was surrounded by pink roses. The second read: "Charles," which featured blue roses.

View post on Instagram
 

Giving context to the special decorations, Charles penned in the caption: "The early part of my childhood memoir, A Very Private School, deals with the happy early years I enjoyed at Park House - home to me for my first 11 years.

"My father had vibrant nameplates on his children’s bedroom doors there - I must find those with "Sarah" and "Jane" on them. #averyprivateschool #newbook #memoir #childhoodmemory #childhoodhome #sundaytimesbestseller #nameplates."

Diana and Charles  in 1968© Getty
Diana and Charles were photographed in 1968

The comments were filled with messages from followers admiring the meaningful decorations but also with messages about his aforementioned new novel, A Very Private School. 

In the book, Charles opened up about the abuse he suffered whilst attending Maidwell Hall Prep School. In an interview with The Times, ahead of the book's release, Charles revealed how his sister Diana cared for him after their mother left the family home when he was just two years old. 

View post on Instagram
 

He said: "Diana looked after me because she was nearly three years older than me. She said that the worst part was hearing me cry down the hall because she was terrified of the dark and couldn’t come to me."

He and Diana had a very close relationship, and he also revealed that during her time in the royal family, he felt it was integral to be honest with her and keep her grounded. 

"I remember going to a dinner soon after she'd become what she became, given by sort of friends in a private room in a restaurant in Fulham. I remember thinking, 'Crikey, they're all sucking up to her like crazy.' I realised that my job was to be absolutely solid as a brother and just remain the same.

"That was sometimes difficult, because I'd say things that people weren't saying to her in a loving way, a constructive way, and I think it was tricky for her to hear anything except how marvellous life was — but I thought that was my duty. I was her little brother. We grew up together."

Sign up to HELLO Daily! for the best royal, celebrity and lifestyle coverage

By entering your details, you are agreeing to HELLO! Magazine User Data Protection Policy. You can unsubscribe at any time. For more information, please click here.

More Royalty

See more