The Spencer Family and Ancestry (inc. Althorp Estate)

[wymanda]

The following appeared in the Daily Mirror and is written by James Whittaker

ARROGANCE IS THE MARK OF SPENCER Apr 17 2004

I HAVE warned about Earl Spencer previously. In fact, more than once.

I didn't like the way he treated his first wife, the anorexic, much-troubled Victoria; I hated the way he went off for a dirty weekend with another woman within weeks of the wedding.

I positively loathed the way he rejected Princess Diana when she begged him for a bolt hole on the family estate, while I don't believe I've ever witnessed such a level of insolence as he displayed when chiding the Queen and her family during his eulogy to Diana at Westminster Abbey.

Since then things have not improved. Spencer who, I have to say, can charm the pants off anyone he meets when he chooses so to do, has horribly over-commercialised the life and times of his sister to a pitch that could be considered exploitative, if not vulgar.

He also spends too little time in this country to efficiently run his beautiful Northamptonshire estate, opting instead to spend sunny days in South Africa doing I'm not sure what.

He does knock out books from time to time but I'm doubtful whether he makes much dosh out of them. They're worthy (the latest is about the Battle of Blenheim, focusing on one of his ancestors, the Duke of Marlborough) but hardly money-spinners.

They certainly wouldn't be able to make up the sort of revenue he's losing now that the public are drifting away from visiting Althorp and the shrine he made to Princess Diana.

In 1998 150,000 visited the museum which remembers her childhood and the man-made island on which she is buried.

Last year, paying customers totalled 80,000. To break even, Spencer says he needs 120,000 visitors in the two months the place is open in July and August. So what's a chap to do?

In Spencer's case the answer was simple. Flog off 508 acres of his inherited estate for a housing development, a scheme that includes a Tesco superstore, a bus station, a medical practice and a state school.

When this idea was mooted five years ago, and quickly rejected by the locals and the council, the noble earl hoped to receive around £50million. But with building land in short supply and houses needed, prices have improved since then. Now he can expect maybe £250m for his troubles.

Conservationists hate the idea of this development; villagers know their life will be ruined for ever but, hey, who cares if Spencer's in the money?

Of course there'll be a public enquiry, naturally all and sundry will be consulted but few doubt what the final outcome will be.

By ploughing ahead, ignoring all the wails going on around him, Spencer will be acting purely in character.

[Elspeth]

And he complained when his stepmother sold family heirlooms to renovate the house. Now he's selling land. Raine must be loving this.

It was bad enough that he saw fit to use the Princess's funeral to criticise the royal family in public - the fact that he was there with his latest mistress rather than his wife made it hypocritical beyond words.

I finally read Paul Burrell's book, expecting to really dislike it but I was actually pleasantly surprised by his even-handedness. I noticed that Earl Spencer was one of only a handful of people in that book about whom Mr Burrell was uniformly negative.

[tiaraprin]

Good Lord, he is at it again!!

I have never been a fan of Earl Spencer. He seems like a spoiled brat.

Has anyone ever read his book about the Spencer family??

[sara1981]

Originally posted by tiaraprin@Jun 13th, 2004 - 1:02 am
Good Lord, he is at it again!!

I have never been a fan of Earl Spencer. He seems like a spoiled brat.

Has anyone ever read his book about the Spencer family??

i dont think so! he not as BRAT!!!

but i dont read about Spencer legacy no! i will get books soon when i done read book of Diana's mum maybe i would get books in December or i would get order from Majesty magazine maybe!

Sara Boyce

[kelly9480]

I read his book about Althorp. Once you get past his attempts to prove Diana's family isn't dirt, it's a good book about the house.

[wymanda]

Originally posted by kelly9480@Jun 21st, 2004 - 12:29 am
I read his book about Althorp. Once you get past his attempts to prove Diana's family isn't dirt, it's a good book about the house.

I agree kelly. Earl Spencer certainly has a way with words. It is a shame that his actions don't always back them up.

His new wife seems to be a mature, level headed lady who wants to make Althorp memorable for more than Diana. In some ways she is in a similar position to Raine. Her son will never inherit the estate which will go to the present Viscount Althorp. Thankfully she has heaps more taste than Raine so we wont see the house painted "Cartland Pink" upstairs and down and regilded to within an inch of it's life! :P :P :P

[KingArthur55]

I recently read a small tidbit that Diana was a descendant of an Illegitimate son of Charles II. This would mean that when William succeeds, a direct bloodline to the Stuarts will be on the throne again after 300 years.


Since I read this bit on a site that I don't consider 100 percent reliable, I was wondering if anyone here could provide any links or info on this topic? I knew Diana had a fascinating lineage, but the connection to the Stuarts was news to me.


Thank you.

[Jackswife]

AFAIK, the connection arises from a liason between Charles II and the Duchess of Cleveland, Barbara Villiers, who had a son together, Henry Fitzroy. Can't really recall the line of descent but I think Henry was the great-great-great-great grandfather of Diana's father Johnny.

[Vanesa]

Yes. You are right. She descended from the Stuarts. And this make me happy, for, when Williams should be the King of England, the Stuarts and the Windsors blood will be reunited over U.K 's throne. This is very interesting in an historical point of view. Isn't it? :)

Vanesa.

[Lord of Cowley]

I agree that Stuart blood has never left the royal family. Indeed, the present royal family, as well as Sarah Ferguson, Diana Spencer AND Camilla Parker-Bowles are all descendants of Charles the Second. (The Queen Mother might have been as well, but I'll need to check up on that!) All of the mentioned people are about fifth and sixth cousins.

[crisiñaki]

Originally Posted by Lord of Cowley

I agree that Stuart blood has never left the royal family. Indeed, the present royal family, as well as Sarah Ferguson, Diana Spencer AND Camilla Parker-Bowles are all descendants of Charles the Second. (The Queen Mother might have been as well, but I'll need to check up on that!) All of the mentioned people are about fifth and sixth cousins.

One big and happy family, wonder what would Jerry Springer say
One consecuence of having an aristocracy like the British and German is that if you marry within your circle you'll eventually end up with someone blood-related even if it is in a far way

[light85]

that's kinda nasty, no wonder genetic diseases like hemophelia is known as the royal disease. lol.

[Furienna]

But anything beyond first cousin should be okay. Second, third, fourth, fith, sixth etc cousins can very well have children together without fearing inbreading.

[Chris922]

Still, it's not a very good idea to have a family tree with just a few branches!

[Lovelydiana]

I was thinking about this a couple days ago I know a lot about Diana but I was jst wondering if Diana had any cousins? I don't think i've read that her father and mother had sisters or brothers and I hve never heard of her aunts or uncles. So did Diana have any aunts or uncles or any cousins growing up?

[Yennie]

Didn´t Dianas mother had a brother who comitted suicide? I have no idea about any cousins though...

[Oppie]

ETA I kept adding information and my original post became very messy so I re-edited everything

Father Side
Lady Anne Spencer b. 1920 married Christopher Wake Walker b. 1920
Children
Elizabeth b. 1944 married Anthony Duckworth-Chad, children James, William and Davina
David b. 1947 married Jenni Vaulkhard, children Frederic and Nicholas
Richard b. 1951 married Sharon Little, children Kate, Olivia and Robert
Michael b. 1958 married Catherine Hazlitt, child George
Diana b. 1958 married Christopher Macfarlene, children Thomas and Geogrina


Mother Side
Mary b. 1934 (Frances older sister) married Anthony Berry b. 1925 d. 1984
Children
Alexandra b. 1955
Antonia b. 1957
Joanna b. 1957 married Peter Tufnell, 3 children
Edward b. 1960
They divorced in 1966. She married then married Denis Geoghegan, they divorced in 80, she then married Michael Gunningham and they divorced in 89. I don't believe that she had any more children. 2

Anthony Berry was killed in an IRA attack at the Brighton Hotel, my understanding is that Joanna has been in contact with the bomber and made a documentry about it. Article with pictures of her http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/1704600.stm

Edmund (Frances younger brother) (b. 1939 d. 84) Married Lavina Pitman.
Children
Patrick (b. 1967) who is the current Baron Fermoy he married Tessa Kayall, children Arabella and Eliza

Interesting that she has two sets of twin cousins Micheal and Diana on her father's side and Antonia and Joanna on her mother's side.

Didn´t Dianas mother had a brother who comitted suicide

Peter Shand Kydd, Diana's stepfather had a son named Adam (Diana's step brother) he died of a drug overdose which was suspected as suicide.

1 http://www.thepeerage.com/p10512.htm#i105115
2 en.wikipedia.com

[Lovelydiana]

Thanks for the helpful information. Do you know if any pictures of them could be found as a family? Did Diana take any pictures with them? Do you know if she saw them much? Or if they ever came to visit? Sorry for all the questions. :)

[CATS]

Sophie also has a Stuart blood line, I believe. I do know Sarah, Diana, and Sophie share a bloodline. If you go to House Wessex you can see the chart a well as others. There is a link on this forum in the links section. This may explain why some people think sophe and diana look alike.

[Iluvbertie]

Originally Posted by Vanesa

Yes. You are right. She descended from the Stuarts. And this make me happy, for, when Williams should be the King of England, the Stuarts and the Windsors blood will be reunited over U.K 's throne. This is very interesting in an historical point of view. Isn't it? :)

Vanesa.

As Charles is a direct descentent of James I (Charles II's grandfather) this is actually not the case - the Stuart line has never left the throne.

The Hanoverians claim is based on direct protestant descent from James I - George I was the great, great (and another great maybe) grandson of James I.

This claim comes up every so often but people do need to realise that the Windsors are descendents of the Stuarts in their own right.