Princess Diana's Childhood Home Althorp Is Open to Visitors This Summer
This summer, Princess Diana's childhood home is opening to the public. In July and August, Althorp, the 500 year old Spencer family estate, which is currently run by Diana's brother Earl Charles Spencer, will have visiting hours where guests can explore not only the grounds, but also the State Rooms of the home.
Here's how you can plan a trip to the iconic country home with a rich royal history:
When is Althorp open?
In 2022, Althorp House and Park will be open to guests from July 1 through August 29. More specifically, the estate is open from noon to 5 p.m. daily, though visitors should take note that the last entry to the house is at 3:30 p.m.
Tickets are available starting from £17.50 for access to the grounds (access to the grounds and the state rooms within the house starts from £25) with special pricing for children, seniors, and families. There is also a cafe and gift shop on site.
Princess Diana's grave is off-limits.
In addition to being Princess Diana's childhood home, Althorp is also her final resting place, but her grave is inaccessible to the public. It is located on an island in the middle of Round Oval, a lake on the property, and there is a separate memorial site on the grounds where visitors can pay tribute to the late Princess of Wales.
In 1998, Diana's brother, Earl Charles Spencer notably said that the lake would "act as a buffer against the interventions of the insane and ghoulish, the thick mud presenting a further line of defence."
"We all agreed that, with its beauty and tranquillity, this was the place for Diana to be," he said.
How do you get to the estate?
Located right off the M1 motorway, and roughly an hour and a half from London, Althorp is best accessed by car, though the proptery's website provides detailed information for travelers arriving by car, bus, train, or even bicycle.
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