Charles Spencer posted on his Instagram two images of Althorp House, the Spencer Family’s stately home and final resting place of Diana. The images show the wintry lawns of the Northamptonshire estate, which are populated by deer.
The caption accompanying the snap featuring deer read: “The red stags enjoying today’s sunshine in the Deer Park at @althorphouse.
“The autumn rut – when they challenged one another for weeks, for dominance in the herd – is now apparently a distant memory: they now actively seek out each other’s company.”
The second image had a more personal caption as the Earl recalled the story behind a Cedar of Lebanon planted by his great-great-great grandmother.
The caption read: “A Cedar of Lebanon, planted by my great-great-great grandmother Lavinia Spencer 200 years ago, rising out of the mist at @althorphouse this morning.
“Lavinia liked to plan ahead: ‘These cedars will only look at their best for our great-grandson’, she wrote to her husband.
“There are several still looking spectacular here today. Thank you, Lavinia.”
Both posts gathered almost 4,000 likes collectively as royal fans gushed over the foggy landscapes in the 13,000-acre residence where Diana once lived.
One Instagram user said: “Stunning – thank you for sharing it!
“My favourite trees. (You’ve made my day – it would have been my late mum’s 90th Birthday today).”
Another person added: “Stunning picture and beautiful memory.
“Happy New Year and please keep sharing photos of your beautiful home!”
Of the deer pasturing in the photograph, one commenter wrote: “Magnificent creatures. So much beauty at Althorp.
“A book of these images would be much loved!”
The Earl, who regularly shares images of his family estate, has set out to correct defend his sister’s memory after Netflix hit drama the Crown portrayed the royal in a controversial light.
Speaking to Alan Titchmarsh on ITV’s Love Your Weekend tomorrow morning about the show’s latest season, the Earl said his concern was that viewers would interpret the program as a true depiction.
He said: “The worry for me is that people see a programme like that and they forget that it is fiction.
“Americans tell me they have watched The Crown as if they have taken a history lesson. Well, they haven’t. It is very hard, there is a lot of conjecture and a lot of invention, isn’t there? You can hang it on fact but the bits in between are not fact.”
Of his loyalty to Diana, he said: “I feel it is my duty to stand up for her when I can.
“She left me for instance as guardian of her sons. And we grew up together – you know if you grow up with somebody they are still that person, it doesn’t matter what happens to them later.”
The show’s creator, Peter Morgan, explained some scenes were fictional despite standing by his right to use artistic licence.
