The ongoing drama surrounding Prince Harry and Meghan Markle continues to make headlines, with the latest developments involving the Spencer family’s ancestral estate, Althorp.
According to recent reports, Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp, has made it clear that his cousin Prince Harry is not welcome to take up permanent residence at Althorp, despite Harry's apparent efforts to strengthen his ties with the Spencer side of the family. As tensions between Harry and the British Royal Family escalate, it appears he may be seeking refuge with his maternal relatives—though not without resistance.
Recently, Prince Harry stayed at Althorp while visiting the UK to attend the memorial service for his uncle, Lord Robert Fellowes, the husband of Lady Jane Spencer, Princess Diana’s older sister. What initially appeared to be a simple family gathering has reportedly raised eyebrows, with insiders suggesting that Harry may be growing too comfortable at the estate. The question now looms: Is he merely visiting, or is he laying the groundwork to turn Althorp into his new home, especially after he and Meghan were asked to vacate Frogmore Cottage earlier this year?
On the podcast The Newsweek Report, it was speculated that Prince Harry may view Althorp as a potential sanctuary, far removed from the public scrutiny of the British Monarchy. Althorp holds deep personal significance for Harry, as it was not only his mother Princess Diana’s childhood home but also her final resting place. The estate, located in the countryside, could offer Harry a place of solace, away from the unrelenting pressures of royal life. However, it seems that Viscount Louis Spencer is not particularly eager to welcome his cousin permanently into the fold.
Louis Spencer, as the future heir to Althorp, is keenly aware of the estate's importance and is protective of it. Allowing Harry and Meghan to make Althorp their base would invite a new wave of media attention and public interest—something Louis has worked hard to avoid. Unlike many in the royal family, Louis has largely stayed out of the public eye, and the idea of his cousin using Althorp as a way to maintain relevance in the media might be more than he’s willing to tolerate. While Harry has deep emotional ties to Althorp, his connection to the estate is not as seamless as he might want people to believe.
It’s worth remembering that Harry’s mother, Princess Diana, did not always find a warm welcome at Althorp either. Her former butler, Paul Burrell, revealed that Charles Spencer, Diana’s brother, once declined her request to live on the estate, citing concerns for his own family’s privacy. Instead, Charles offered her a smaller, less secure property. This was hardly the supportive gesture one might expect from family, and the echoes of this strained relationship seem to be reverberating into the present.
Now, it appears history is repeating itself. Just as Charles Spencer kept his sister Diana at a distance, Louis Spencer seems to be taking a similar approach with Harry. While Harry may hope to strengthen his bond with the Spencer family, it’s clear that Louis is unwilling to let his cousin settle in without a fight. Some rumors have even suggested that Harry could be offered Wormleighton Manor, an older and less grand Spencer property, located far from the splendor of Althorp. However, Wormleighton lacks the modern security features and grandeur befitting a former royal, making it an unlikely long-term solution for Harry and Meghan.
Nevertheless, Wormleighton might be a fitting response from a family that seems eager to keep Harry at arm’s length. Some observers speculate that Charles Spencer might be using Harry in his ongoing tensions with the British Royal Family. The Spencers have a long-standing, complex relationship with the monarchy, and by appearing to support Harry, Charles could be positioning himself as the caring uncle while also capitalizing on the public's enduring fascination with Princess Diana's legacy. However, the notion that Harry will ever be truly embraced by the Spencer family, or allowed to make Althorp his permanent residence, seems increasingly far-fetched.
