The drama surrounding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle shows no signs of slowing down, and now the saga has reached the gates of Althorp, the Spencer family's ancestral estate. Recent reports reveal that Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp, has made it clear that his cousin Prince Harry is not welcome to reside at Althorp. Despite Harry's apparent attempts to build bridges with the Spencer side of the family, tensions are rising between him and the British royal family, leading Harry to seek refuge with his maternal relatives—though not without difficulty.
Harry recently stayed at Althorp while in the UK for the memorial service of his uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes, husband of Lady Jane Spencer, Princess Diana’s older sister. Although the visit initially appeared to be a family gathering, insiders suggest that Harry may have been getting a bit too comfortable at the Spencer estate. Was he simply visiting, or was he laying the groundwork to turn Althorp into a home away from home, especially after he and Meghan were asked to vacate Frogmore Cottage earlier this year? Newsweek’s podcast speculated that Harry might have found a new sanctuary at Althorp, away from the prying eyes of the British monarchy. After all, Althorp holds deep personal significance for Harry as it was Princess Diana’s childhood home and where she is buried—a place of refuge far removed from royal pressures.
However, it appears that Viscount Althorp is not keen on having his cousin settle there permanently. Louis Spencer, the heir to Althorp, understands the importance of his family's estate and is fiercely protecting it. Allowing Harry and Meghan to use Althorp as their base would invite a new level of media attention and scrutiny. For Louis, who has largely stayed out of the public eye, the idea of his cousin using the estate to stay relevant might be more than he’s willing to tolerate.
It’s worth noting that Harry’s connection to Althorp is not as seamless as he might wish the world to believe. Despite his deep emotional ties to the estate, it’s well known that his mother, Princess Diana, wasn’t exactly welcomed with open arms there either. Diana's former butler, Paul Burrel, revealed letters from Charles Spencer, Diana’s brother, in which he declined Diana’s request to live on the estate, citing concerns for his family's privacy. Instead, he offered her a smaller, less secure property—hardly the warm family support one might expect.
Fast forward to today, and it seems history is repeating itself. Just as Charles Spencer kept Diana at arm’s length, it appears that Louis Spencer is doing the same with Harry. While Harry may hope to strengthen his ties with the Spencer side of the family, Viscount Althorp is clearly not willing to let his cousin move in without a fight.
Rumors even suggest that Harry might be offered Wormleighton, a much older Spencer property located far from the grandeur of Althorp. With its lack of modern security and remote location, Wormleighton hardly seems like a suitable home for a former royal and his family, but it might be seen as a fitting response from a family that wants to keep Harry at a distance.
Some believe that Charles Spencer could be using Harry in his ongoing feud with the British royal family. By aligning with Harry, Charles might be positioning himself as the caring uncle while capitalizing on the public’s interest in Princess Diana’s legacy. However, the notion that Harry will ever be truly welcomed into the Spencer fold, let alone given a permanent residence at Althorp, seems far-fetched.
