Princess Diana's Brother Is "Stunned" That Their Childhood Home Was Targeted in "Disturbing" Suspected Arson

Princess Diana's younger brother, Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer, has spoken out after a shocking incident on the family's estate. Princess Diana grew up—and is buried on—the 13,000-acre Althorp estate, which is now run by Earl Spencer. On Wednesday, May 28, he shared that a historic building on the property burnt down in a suspected arson incident.

"Luckily unoccupied at the time - but still deeply disturbing that one of our farmhouses was torched by vandals last night," Spencer wrote in an Instagram Story showing the property on fire. "Sincere thanks to @northantsfire for trying to save it."

He continued in an X post that he was "stunned to learn" of the incident, adding, "So very sad that anyone would think this a fun thing to do."

The main building, Althorp House, was untouched during the incident, but according to David Fawkes, chief executive of the Althorp Estate, an 18th-century farmhouse was "completely destroyed by the fire" (via People).

He continued that the house and its surrounding farm buildings "have been unoccupied for several years and the site is scheduled for redevelopment as part of the Dallington Grange development."

According to the BBC, the Northamptonshire Police said the fire has "not been recorded as a crime at present, but this could change if there is evidence to indicate it was started deliberately."

Princess Diana is buried on a peaceful island situated in the middle of Althorp's Oval Lake, and last fall, Earl Spencer told Good Morning Britain that he visits her grave via rowboat "pretty much every day."