Since her tragic de.ath in 1997, admirers of Diana, Princess of Wales, have been unable to visit her actual gravesite — a decision made by her brother, Charles Spencer, to protect her memory and privacy.
Diana was just 36 when she died from injuries sustained in a high-speed car crash in Paris’s Pont de l’Alma tunnel. She was a passenger in a Mercedes-Benz S280 driven by Henri Paul, alongside her companion, Egyptian film producer Dodi Fayed.
Her funeral at Westminster Abbey drew a crowd of 2,000 in person, while more than 32 million viewers in the UK watched the service on television. Six days after her passing, Earl Spencer announced that his sister would be buried at Althorp Park, the Spencer family’s ancestral estate in West Northamptonshire, rather than in the local church’s family tombs.
A Private and Protected Resting Place
Speaking to the BBC in 2017, Earl Spencer explained that burying Diana at Althorp felt “natural” and was meant to keep her safe during a time of intense public emotion. He also wanted her sons, William and Harry, to have the ability to visit her privately, away from the public eye.
The Princess’s grave lies on a small island in the middle of the estate’s ornamental Oval Lake. Originally added to the property because the Spencers enjoyed ice skating, the lake underwent a major redesign in 2017 to mark the 20th anniversary of Diana’s death. The renovations were intended to honour her life and create a more serene setting.
Over the years, both princes have brought their wives to the site — William with Catherine in 2011, and Harry with Meghan in 2022. In his memoir Spare, Harry recalled struggling with a small boat on the lake before finally reaching the island with Meghan, helped along by his uncle.
Honouring Diana’s Memory
Although the grave itself is off-limits to the public, Althorp Park offers another place for remembrance: The Temple. This Grecian-style structure, renamed in Diana’s honour in 1998, features two memorial tablets, one of which bears her words:
“Nothing brings me more happiness than trying to help the most vulnerable people in society. It is a goal and an essential part of my life, a kind of destiny, whoever is in distress can call on me. I will come running wherever they are.”
For those who admired her compassion and humanitarian work, The Temple remains a space to reflect on her enduring legacy — even if her final resting place remains out of reach.