One could hardly imagine a more beautiful spot on which to be laid to rest than the island, which sits at the centre of the Oval Lake, in the secluded grounds belonging to Althorp House in Northamptonshire. This is where Princess Diana was buried in 1997, and it remains a tranquil site of reflection for her brother, Charles Spencer.
Taking to Instagram, the Earl has shared a photograph of the island, shrouded in early morning mist. He also posted a picture of the sun rising over a copse of trees, with the heavy mist still lying on the field below, which he captioned: ‘Misty start to the day, at @althorphouse.’
Fans and friends were quick to share their thoughts in the comments section. One follower thanked Charles for ‘sharing your sanctuary from a distance,’ while another praised the ‘beautiful and peaceful’ surroundings. The earl is known for giving frequent updated on the estate, regularly posting images of wildlife, videos showing off the grounds and sneak peeks into the house itself.
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Charles grew up at Althorp with his three older sisters – Diana, Jane and Sarah – and inherited the family home when his father, John, died in 1992. Boasting more than 90 rooms (including a spectacular, 115-foot picture gallery) the house sits on 550 acres of land, and the estate has been in the Spencer family since the 1400s. It's frequently open to the public, and visitors can book tickets from now until 29 August.
Those hoping to visit Princess Diana's burial spot, however, should be aware that her resting place is only accessible via boat, and is now off-limits to the public. There used to be a bridge in place so that visitors could access the island to pay tribute to the much-loved royal; however, it was later removed for security reasons. ‘The bridge had been removed, to give my mother privacy, to keep intruders away,’ wrote Prince Harry in his memoir Spare.
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There is, however, another way for visitors to honour the memory of the so-called People's Princess. Charles and his family have dedicated a poignant temple on the estate to Diana, as a spot where visitors are able to leave flowers, cards and meaningful tributes. Sharing a snapshot into its history on Instagram, the earl wrote: ‘This temple, now dedicated to my late sister’s memory, was originally commissioned by our ancestor George John Spencer. He was in charge of the Royal Navy in the early part of the Napoleonic Wars.’
‘In 1798 initial reports from Egypt said the British fleet had been destroyed in a crucial battle by the French. George John fainted with shock. When the true version of the Battle of the Nile followed, outlining what was an astonishing victory by Nelson over the French, George John had this structure built – in thanks to God. It overlooks the Round Oval lake at Althorp and has become the place where kind visitors like to leave flowers in memory of Diana.’
Any guests who pay a visit to Althorp might only hope that they meet the earl in the grounds – not only to learn from his vast knowledge of the estate, but to pick up a few photography skills, too.
