Who is Louis Spencer? Get To Know Princess Diana's Nephew, the Viscount Althorp
Louis Spencer, Princess Di's nephew, has been branded Britain's most eligible bachelor. The 30-year-old actor-aristocrat is set to inherit the famous Althorp House and the Spencer family's sprawling Northamptonshire estate.
Can't get enough of the recent British royal drama? If you're looking to go beyond the bizarre Kate Middleton situation and the Rose Hanbury controversy, it may be time to acquaint yourself with Louis Spencer, Princess Diana's nephew—as well as the heir to the historic Althrop House and the Spencer family's sprawling Northamptonshire estate.
Dubbed the most eligible British bachelor of recent years, Spencer has captured the attention of the public eye "with a charmingly dapper yet down-to-earth sophisticated savoir-faire," as Tatler puts it. Although Spencer is an aristocrat, set to one day become Earl Spencer, he's not technically a royal, like his aunt or cousins. Join L'OFFICIEL in diving into the personal history, career, and public presence of Louis Spencer—aspiring actor, heir apparent to the Spencer earldom, and Princess Diana's nephew—as well as the next British heartthrob to keep on your radar.
Early Life and Childhood
In the wake of his parents' divorce, Spencer, along with his mother and sisters, lived in Cape Town, South Africa, where he spent the majority of his childhood. Victoria Lockwood, Spencer's mother, was a model prior to her marriage to Charles Spencer, Earl of Spencer and Princess Diana's brother. Together, Lockwood and the Spencer had four children together, of whom Louis is the youngest, but following the Earl's alleged affair in 1995, just a year after their son was born, the couple moved to Cape Town to avoid the press while trying to rebuild their family. Two years later, when the two officially divorced, Earl Spencer moved back to the United Kingdom and promptly remarried.
The youngest of four, Spencer has three older sisters, all of whom have emerged as some of the most fashionable among the newest generation of British aristocrats. While her two younger sisters are decidedly more private, Lady Kitty Spencer is frequently spotted in the front rows of runway shows, has walked in several Dolce & Gabbana shows, has modeled on the covers of several fashion publications, L'OFFICIEL included, and is often seen at all the buzziest parties. Spencer reportedly enjoys a close relationship with his sisters, and even walked Kitty down the aisle at her ultra-chic Italian wedding in 2021, where she wore a Dolce & Gabbana gown perfectly befitting her aristocratic status.
During his time in Cape Town, Spencer attended the Diocesan College, one of the most prestigious schools in the country, before graduating and moving back to the UK for his university education. Prince Harry and Prince William's cousin then attended the University of Edinburgh and later, the Arts Educational Schools, where he studied drama and acting and graduated as the valedictorian in 2022.
Public Life
Like many aristocratic members of British high society, Louis Spencer does not have a particularly strong public presence, although he has become a recent focus of British media. The actor was captured walking arm-in-arm with his sisters and mother at Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding in 2018, a sight which made it to the front page of British publications at the time, with the Daily Mail calling him "an unlikely star of the day" due to his good looks and apparently charming presence.
Spencer was also featured on rapper Nicki Minaj's Instagram, who posted a photo of the pair after they met at the royal wedding in 2018. Minaj's post, which was accompanied by a witty caption in typical Nicki fashion, promoted a surge in public interest around Spencer, who has since been nicknamed 'Harry Lite' and dubbed the most eligible bachelor in England.
"Louis lives in London. He’s an actor at drama school and works incredibly hard and I want him to be able to fulfill his dreams in that direction. It is full-on: he’s doing 14-hour days," said Charles Spencer in 2018 to the Daily Mail in reference to his son. Although Spencer has since graduated, the viscount has not given up his acting dreams, and still actively pursues roles while working to fulfill his aristocratic duties.