The late Princess Diana's roots to the royal family actually link back to her childhood, with the future Princess of Wales having grown-up close to the Sandringham estate in Norfolk.
Diana was born in Park House, which is just 500m away from the Sandringham estate, where the royals often retreat over Easter and Christmas.
The Jacobethan-style property was originally built in 1862, at the request of the then Prince of Wales (later Edward VII) for a senior member of his household. Diana's mother, Frances Shand Kydd, was born at Park House in 1936, when it was rented by her father, Maurice Roche, Lord Fermoy.
Diana’s father, John Spencer, later became a tenant of the house. On 1 July 1961, Frances and John’s fourth child, Diana Frances Spencer, was born at Park House and it was her home until she was 14. The Spencer family left the property in order to move to their ancestral home, Althorp, when Diana's father inherited the earldom.
In 1987, the late Queen gifted the property to Leonard Cheshire Disability, and it was transformed into a hotel that specifically catered to people with disabilities and their carers.
© PA Images via Getty ImagesThe organisation ran the hotel, and in 2019, they developed plans for a refurbishment of the property, however, this ended up being deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The trust closed the hotel during the pandemic, and it has remained vacant ever since.
The home would have seen Diana's first interactions with members of the royal family, and her former au pair, Inge Crane, told CNN in 2021 that a young Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Prince Edward would often swim in the pool on the property.
© Getty ImagesDuring its heyday, the hotel boasted red-lined staircases, oversized fireplaces, floral bedspreads and large gardens. The heritage of the home was also paid tribute to, with a frame photograph of the late Princess of Wales adorning a fireplace.
What happened to Park House?
Confirming the closure, the charity said: "Since the original plan of September 2019 detailing an agreement to spend £2.3m redeveloping Park House – and match fund the same amount for further investment – cash resources and fund raising have understandably been shifted in response to the pandemic. Costs associated with the project have also risen significantly."
They added: "We therefore cannot justify that outlay considering the current barriers that disabled people face across the world and coupled with the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Covid-19 and the impact to our work, it’s been proposed to discontinue the redevelopment and work with Sandringham Estate to exit the lease."
Photos obtained by the Mirror since the closure show the property falling into a state of disrepair. Overgrown grass is seen surrounding the home, while a dilapidated shed has had its roof cave in, and window paint can be seen peeling from the main home, alongside stained bricks.
