Harry’s quiet return to Princess Diana’s former home

The Duke of Sussex stayed at the family home of his late mother Diana, Princess of Wales, when he returned the UK last week for a secret, whirlwind, visit.
Prince Harry was invited to stay at Althorp by his uncle, Earl Spencer, the current custodian of the sprawling estate where Diana is now buried.
Harry made the brief journey to England to attend the funeral of Lord Robert Fellowes, who was married to Princess Diana’s sister Lady Jane Spencer.
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The funeral, in Norfolk, was held two days before the 27th anniversary of Diana’s death.
The late princess was laid to rest on an island in the middle of Round Oval Lake on the estate.
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When Prince Harry last visited the UK, in May, he declined an invitation to stay at Buckingham Palace, claiming his security could not be guaranteed when coming and going from the highly-protected building.
Instead, he stayed at a hotel.
The duke is required to give 28 days notice to the government to allow for arrangements to be made.
He and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, lost their right to automatic police protection when they stepped back as working royals in 2020.
Prince Harry was not expected to make the journey to the UK for his uncle’s funeral, his aides had initially said, due to the “many challenges” involved, including security.
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But he made the unannounced visit last week for the service, which saw him and brother Prince William under the same roof for the first time since the coronation in May, 2023.
He and the Prince of Wales are not believed to have spoken.
A sourced told The Sun: “William and Harry were both there, but we never saw them speak to each other and they were keeping their distance”.
Another member of the congregation told People: “Most people were astounded that Harry came. He was on remarkably good form – and you could tell he was very pleased to see everybody. And he was very pleased that he had come over”.
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Lord Fellowes died on July 29, aged 82. He was Queen Elizabeth II’s former private secretary and by her late Majesty’s side for some of the most turbulent moments of her 70-year reign.
Days after his death, Earl Spencer paid tribute to his “absolutely exceptional brother-in-law”.
He added: “A total gentleman, in all the best meanings of that word, he was a man of humour, wisdom and utter integrity. I’m deeply proud to have been his brother-in-law.”
Prince Harry has remained close to all three of his mother’s siblings – Earl Spencer, Lady Jane and Lady Sarah McCorquodale.
Earl Spencer and Lady Jane supported Prince Harry by attending a service of thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral in May, marking 10 years since the creation of the Invictus Games.
In 2021, all three joined Prince William and Prince Harry for the unveiling of a memorial statue of Diana inside the Sunken Garden at Kensington Palace.
Last June, Earl Spencer publicly voiced his support for Prince Harry in his legal battle against the tabloid press.
In Prince Harry’s memoir Spare, he wrote about taking Meghan to visit his mother’s grave at Althorp in 2022.
“No visit to this place was ever easy, but this one… twenty-fifth anniversary. And Meg’s first time. At long last, I was bringing the girl of my dreams home to meet mum.
“We hesitated, hugging, and then I went first. I placed flowers on the grave. Meg gave me a moment, and I spoke to my mother in my head, told her I missed her, asked her for guidance and clarity.
“Feeling that Meg might also want a moment, I went around the hedge, scanned the pond. When I came back, Meg was kneeling, eyes shut, palms against the stone. I asked, as we walked back to the boat, what she’d prayed for.
“‘Clarity’, she said. ‘And guidance.'”
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