Shake up at Princess Diana’s childhood home as it is set to re-open in days

The late Princess Diana’s former childhood home, Althorp House, is a mecca for royal fans wanting to celebrate her life and commemorate her death. Each year, the Grade-I listed stately home opens its gates for two months, allowing members of the public to tour the impressive estate and 17 of the iconic rooms. This season, there’s been a change with the addition of exclusive tours being added to the offering.

This is a rare opportunity to be expertly guided through the exquisite property by one of the House Guides, which happens once a day and is limited to 20 guests. Following the extensive look around, guests will then enjoy a delicious Champagne afternoon tea. Tickets cost £146.38 in total for the special experience. 

The 90-room building is famously known as the childhood home of Diana, Princess of Wales, who moved into the property with her family when she was 14 years old. It is also where she first met the then-Prince of Wales (King Charles III) when her sister, Sarah Spencer, introduced them.

The library and the saloon are legendary rooms inside the property and outside, the Oval Lake is a poignant feature. Princess Diana has been laid to rest on a serene island located in the centre of the estate’s Round Oval Lake. While the burial site itself is strictly private, visitors frequently flock to The Temple, a memorial structure overlooking the lake originally commissioned by an ancestor to commemorate the Battle of the Nile, where guests leave flowers in her memory. 

© David Goddard

The real reason it’s only open for two months of the year

Diana’s brother Earl Spencer has revealed the real reason that he only opens Althorp’s gates once a year for two months. It is due to an arrangement reached with the UK Government in 1992. The Earl has noted the poignant coincidence that their limited opening season is bookended by two monumental dates: opening on July 1st (Princess Diana’s birthday) and closing on August 31st (the anniversary of her tragic passing).

Prince Harry visiting Althorp?

© Rex

Althorp is going to be closed on the 10 and 11 July this year, and that has sparked debate if Prince Harry could swing by his mother’s former residence when he’s in the UK for Invictus Games commitments. 

The Duke of Sussex has used Althorp as a base before, notably when he was back in 2024 for his uncle Lord Robert Fellowes’ funeral. He also brought wife, Meghan Markle, to his mother’s resting place in 2022.