It's been an extremely busy period for Earl Charles Spencer, the brother of the late Princess Diana, who has been non-stop in promoting his very personal book, Swan Song: Diana, My Sister. Following his time stateside to talk about the publication, he is back at his beloved Althorp estate and he's shared a poignant photo from the place where his sister is buried.
The Earl took to his personal Instagram Stories to share an image that he took during a moment of quiet contemplation from the edge of the Round Oval Lake, partially showing the central island where Diana is laid to rest. Pleased with his photography skills, Charles captioned the picture: "My luckiest capture of the Round Oval Lake, Althorp." The striking photo showed the sun piercing through the scattered clouds on a crisp autumn day as the mist hung around the base of the trees.
Diana's final resting place was decided upon by Charles himself, following her tragic 1997 death. Originally, it was planned that she would be laid to rest in the Spencer family vault at the local church but security concerns ruled that out. Instead, the island on the lake was chosen and the bridge removed to restrict access even further. Now, family members paying their respects have to board a small boat to get to her exact gravesite.
© InstagramCharles often photographs this tranquil spot, where mourners can pay their respects in person, even though access to the island itself remains strictly off-limits. As custodian of this Grade I-listed estate, Charles opens the house and grounds to visitors once a year. In the months of July and August, guests can come and tour the majestic property where Diana grew up and pay tribute to the late Princess at her dedicated temple.
Harry's summer visit to Althorp
This summer, Prince Harry brought his wife Meghan Markle and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet to Althorp to visit this special place. The family were seen with huge floral tributes, no doubt for the late Diana.
Speaking to talk show host Lorraine about the visit, Charles alluded to it being bittersweet. He said: "Harry came to stay in the summer with his family, and that was lovely.
© Instagram / @meghan"Although when I look, you know, it’s so sad. I saw the two little kids running around, and the sadness of not having… Can you imagine what a great-grandmother Diana would’ve been? Spoiling them rotten."
The Earl's book, intended as a tribute to his beloved sister, has drawn attention due to his account of past conversations with King Charles. Diana's younger brother reported that the then-Prince of Wales said "we’ll forget her soon enough" about Diana during a heated discussion over her funeral arrangements.
