It has been almost 29 years since Princess Diana tragically died in Paris, and after all this time her brother, Earl Charles Spencer has put pen to paper to write a book about his late sister. Just days after the news of the book broke, Charles has reminded his Instagram followers that Althorp, Diana’s childhood home, will close in 10 days.
The last chance to visit will be 31 August, as it is every year. Then, the doors will close again until next year, welcoming visitors from 1 July 2027.
Some may find it odd that the estate is only open for two full months of the year, but interestingly that was a deal struck with the government many years ago, Charles himself has previously revealed.
“We are open for July and August each year, by an arrangement reached with the UK Government in 1992. Strange to think that that summer season is bookended by 1 July – Diana’s birthday – and 31 August – the day she died,” he explained online in 2025.
Diana’s place of rest
Royal fans flock to Althorp to pay their respects to the late Princess Diana as she has been laid to rest in the grounds, on the island at the Oval Lake. The island is only accessible via boat for maximum security reasons, and visitors are forbidden from making the trip. Instead, they leave tributes at a temple which has been dedicated to the late royal.
© Getty ImagesThis summer, Prince Harry took his wife and children to visit Althorp, and in an Instagram photo they can be seen clutching huge bunches of flowers presumably to leave on her grave. There’s a chance the family will be back very soon, considering their surprise announcement to move back to the UK.
It’s not the first time Meghan has visited, though, as Prince Harry documented his first time taking her there in his memoir, Spare. “I was finally bringing the girl of my dreams home so she would meet my mother,” he penned. The royal also explained that their boat got stuck on departure, leaving Harry’s uncle Charles having to give them a “little push”.
A tell-all book
The Earl’s upcoming book is entitled Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, and it will mark the first time that he has spoken at length about his sibling. It is set to include “revelations that will draw considerable attention”.
Speaking about his decision to write the book, the 62-year-old said: “With the 30th anniversary of Diana’s tragic death on the skyline, I’ve been inundated yet again with requests for interviews about my sister.
“This has convinced me to write down my own thoughts and memories, once and for all, rather than having the discomfort of again reading the opinions of others, many of which are based on untruths that have become accepted over time.
“The aim of this book is to tell the truth about Diana from her brother’s perspective, just as I attempted to do when speaking at her funeral.”
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