Earl Charles Spencer leaves Althorp amid Countess Karen divorce
Princess Diana's brother Earl Charles Spencer has left his ancestral home, Althorp House, amid his divorce from Countess Karen Spencer, and the 60-year-old is off on an exciting adventure!
Charles took to his Instagram Stories to firstly share a photo from the sky as he jetted off over the UK. He captioned the incredible snap: "Northern England this morning from 30,000 feet." The next update was in glorious Iceland, with a photo of beautiful orange skies. Charles penned: "Iceland this afternoon."
The Earl has left behind his beloved home for the trip, which will no doubt be taken care of by his dedicated staff.
It is unknown whether Charles' former wife Karen remains living at the historic property or if she has now moved out.
On 31 October, Karen took to Instagram to share photos from a dinner party, and she announced that it would likely be her last time to host at Althorp which hinted about her departure date. She wrote: "This week, I had the pleasure of hosting a lunch at Althorp, where philanthropic leaders, impact investors, and changemakers gathered around the season’s last garden flowers.
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"Althorp was the perfect setting to kick off what we hope will be a truly impactful gathering. As probably one of the final events I'll host here, it was bittersweet yet inspiring to share this space with people dedicated to positive change."
In June 2024, Charles Spencer announced his shock split, revealing he was "immensely sad" about the news that he would be divorcing Karen. He spoke to the Mail On Sunday, saying: "I just want to devote myself to all my children, and to my grandchildren, and I wish Karen every happiness in the future."
Althorp's legacy
Althorp remains closed to the public and it is set to reopen in summer 2025 so fans can come and see the beautiful grounds and stunning interiors for themselves.
Charles' sister Princess Diana once lived at the residence, and now she is buried on an island within the grounds. The oval lake is a stunning place for quiet contemplation for Charles, and Prince Harry has even taken Meghan Markle to the site to visit his mother's grave.
The secret outing was retrospectively revealed in Harry's book, Spare. "I was finally bringing the girl of my dreams home so she would meet my mother," the memoir reads.
Did you know that the stately home was even where Diana first met the Prince of Wales, when Charles was introduced by Diana's sister, Sarah Spencer?
