Charles Spencer Points Out ‘Strange’ Timing of Althorp’s Summer Season Bookended by Princess Diana’s Birthday and Death

Published on September 1, 2025 02:54PM EDT

Charles Spencer is reflecting on the poignant timing of the public “season” at Althorp House — one that happens to begin on his sister Princess Diana’s birthday and end on the anniversary of her death. The arrangement, made five years before Diana’s 1997 death in Paris, has since taken on an unexpected resonance.

On Sept. 1, the 9th Earl Spencer posted a new photo showing the Grecian-style memorial honoring Diana at Althorp House, the Spencer family’s ancestral estate in Northamptonshire, along with commentary about the link between her July 1 birthday and the anniversary of her death on Aug. 31.

“Beautiful flowers, left yesterday by Althorp’s visitors,” Charles, 61, wrote below the Instagram picture. The shot showed bouquets of flowers laid on a bench below a silhouette of Diana at “The Temple,” a building on the Althorp grounds where visitors can pay respects to the late princess.

“We are open for July and August each year, by an arrangement reached with the UK Government in 1992. Strange to think that that summer season is bookended by 1 July – Diana’s birthday – and 31 August – the day she died,” he continued.

“My deepest thanks go to the @althorphouse team, who were truly outstanding again this summer – treating visitors as honoured guests of my family,” added Earl Spencer, an author, historian and the current owner of Althorp House.

Lady Diana Spencer was born on July 1, 1961 and became a princess when she married the future King Charles in 1981. They welcomed two sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, before splitting in 1992 in a divorce finalized in 1996 amid allegations of infidelity by both parties.

Diana died following a car accident in Paris on Aug. 31, 1997 at age 36 and she is buried on a small island at Althorp known as Oval Lake Grave, which is not open to the public.

“She’s in a happy and secure place,” Charles previously told PEOPLE about her resting place within Althorp Park’s Pleasure Gardens.

Althorp has been the Spencer family’s home since 1508 and the 13,000-acre property with palatial estate was where Princess Diana grew up. It is open to the public to tour during July and August, which is the period her younger brother was referring to.

Charles memorably delivered the passionate eulogy at Princess Diana’s royal ceremonial funeral in 1997 and has openly spoken about the enduring pain of grieving her today.

On Aug. 31, he posted a tribute about bringing flowers to her grave on the 28th anniversary of her death.

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