It's been an unforgettable year for Lady Eliza Spencer.
The niece of Diana, Princess of Wales, who announced her engagement to Channing Millerd last summer following his romantic proposal on a clifftop in Santorini at sunset, has begun her latest chapter as a businesswoman.
Together with entrepreneur Channing, her partner of ten years, Eliza has embarked on a new venture: the launch of Lala V, a Provençal rosé wine.
"It came from a shared dream between Channing and me," model Eliza, 34, tells hello!. "It really has been a labour of love for both of us."
It's set to help them celebrate their relationship, too, with Eliza revealing the couple’s intention to serve the drink at their forthcoming wedding. Planning their nuptials is "such an exciting and special chapter for us”, she says. "We’re really enjoying the process and taking our time with it."
The couple met in South Africa, where Eliza was raised by her mother, former model Victoria Aitken, along with her twin sister, Lady Amelia Spencer, and their siblings: Lady Kitty Spencer, 35, Viscount Althorp, 32, and half-brother Samuel Aitken, 23. Eliza's father is Earl Spencer, Diana’s brother.
Lala V pays tribute to her upbringing, she says. "The name is incredibly personal to me. When my brother Samuel was little, he couldn't pronounce Eliza and called me 'Lala' instead. It quickly became my nickname within our family and has stayed with me ever since, so it felt really special to make it a part of the brand.
© Dave Benett/Getty Images"The 'V' comes from my second name, Victoria, which is also my mother's name, so there's another lovely family connection there."
A love story
Eliza was introduced to Channing, 35, at a dinner party hosted 16 years ago by her sister Amelia's now-husband, Greg Mallett. They began dating six years later.
The wine was born of their shared love of everything that surrounds rosé, she says, including "travelling, beautiful food, long lunches in the sunshine and bringing together the people you love".
She cites those closest to her as the people she'd most like to share a bottle with. "Amelia and I have shared every stage of our lives, and Channing and I have been together for many years, so there are countless memories attached to the three of us celebrating different moments over a glass of wine,” she says.
“For me, the best bottle of wine is always the one shared with people you love, although if I could have one more bottle with someone I’ve loved and lost, that would be incredibly special."
It's clear that the twin sisters, who both now live predominantly in London and regularly appear at events and in modelling campaigns together, have a close bond. "Amelia and I are incredibly close, so being able to share that part of our lives and careers is something I’ll never take for granted," Eliza says.
It's been a busy couple of months for her and Channing, who have been encouraged in their new venture by Eliza's siblings, as well as by friends such as Nicky Hilton Rothschild and Lady Elba.
"It meant the absolute world to me," she says of their support. "Launching something so personal can feel quite vulnerable, so to have so many wonderful friends and people I admire genuinely supporting Lala V has been incredibly touching. Having Nicky and Sabrina [Dhowre Elba] celebrate the brand has been so special, and I’m incredibly grateful."
Aside from launching their business, Eliza and Channing have been touring potential wedding venues across Italy for their nuptials. "It has been such a special summer. We’ve had some incredible moments in London, from Wimbledon to the Royal Academy of Arts’ Summer Exhibition, and we also spent a beautiful few weeks travelling through Italy," Eliza says.
"One of the most unforgettable experiences was seeing Andrea Bocelli perform in Tuscany – it was incredibly moving and something I’ll always remember."
Dream come true
Seeing their project come to life has been a dream, she says. "It’s something we have spoken about and dreamed about for a long time, but this year, everything finally aligned. We didn’t want to rush it; we wanted the wine and every detail around it to feel completely right.
“It’s quite surreal seeing something that was once just an idea between the two of us now being enjoyed by other people."
Looking ahead, she has "huge dreams" for the brand. "We have lots of ideas. I feel incredibly grateful at the moment.
“Building Lala V with Channing, starting to plan our wedding, spending time with Amelia and the people I love, and having the opportunity to travel and experience beautiful places all bring me so much joy. I’m really enjoying this stage of life, where so many things we have dreamed about for a long time are starting to come together."
Lala V is available at Hackstons and lalavofficial.com
