Charles Spencer has seven children from his three marriages. While the likes of Lady Kitty and her sisters, Lady Amelia and Lady Eliza, are often in the spotlight, their younger brother, Louis, lives an ultra-private life.
Despite his aversion to paparazzi and high-profile events, the 30-year-old was named one of Britain's most eligible bachelors by Tatler in 2019, described as "the tall and handsome brother of Lady Kitty Spencer."
© Max Mumby/IndigoBut who is Viscount Louis, and what does he do? Keep scrolling to find out…
A Sun-Soaked Childhood
Louis is the middle child of his father, Earl Spencer, and his first wife, Victoria Aitken. After the couple divorced in 1997, Louis went to live with his mother in Cape Town.
© Mike Forster/Daily Mail/ShutterstockWhile living in South Africa, Louis attended the capital's most expensive private school, Diocesan College, where the fees amounted to up to £13,955 a year. He later moved back to study at Edinburgh University.
To Be or Not to Be
In terms of his career, Louis is a budding actor. Despite being the nephew of Princess Diana, he prefers to keep his royal heritage under wraps and goes by his stage name, Louis John Lyons, according to Femail.
© Dave BenettThe Viscount trained at one of the country’s top performing arts colleges, ArtsEd in Chiswick, after attending Edinburgh University. Following his graduation, he was signed by a prominent agency, Tavistock Wood Talent Agency, whose roster includes Hollywood stars Dominic West and Lily James.
Proud father Charles gushed about his son in 2019 while he was training: "Louis lives in London. He’s an actor at drama school and works incredibly hard. I want him to be able to fulfill his dreams in that direction. It is full-on: he’s doing 14-hour days."
The Heir of Althorp
Despite having three older sisters, Louis is likely to inherit the 13,000-acre family home, Althorp Estate, due to the principle of primogeniture.
Primogeniture is the rule that dictates titles and property are transferred through the eldest male. Although this concept was abolished for the British monarchy in 2015, Charles revealed to the Telegraph that he is likely to adhere to the tradition.
© Tim GrahamHe said: "Is it any fairer that the eldest child gets it instead of the eldest male? Whatever you say is a selection," the Earl remarked.
As for what his sisters think, Lady Kitty discussed their father's choice in an interview with Town & Country. "'Primogeniture can be a tricky topic because, as times are changing, so are attitudes," she told the publication.
© David Goddard"We’ve grown up understanding that it’s Louis who will inherit, and Louis will do an incredible job."
The sprawling estate has been in the Spencer family since 1508 and was the childhood home of the Earl, his late sister Princess Diana, and his two sisters, Lady Jane Fellowes and Lady Sarah McCorquodale.
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