Prince Harry might just be on his way to having a “home away from home” across the pond. Where? At Princess Diana’s Spencer family home of Althorp. A commentator says it’s certainly possible, given the Duke of Sussex’s recent stay there while attending a memorial for his uncle.
Harry stayed at Althorp on Aug. 29
Harry reportedly spent the night at Althorp, his late mother’s childhood home, on Aug. 29, 2024. He returned to the U.K. to attend a memorial service for his uncle Robert Fellowes, the husband of Princess Diana’s sister, Lady Jane Fellowes. Fellowes, a former aide to Harry’s grandmother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, died on July 29, 2024.
Discussing Harry’s stay on “The Royal Report” podcast, host Jack Royston told listeners it could be a one-time thing or a sign of more U.K. visits to come.
“It’s totally possible that it was a complete one-off because of those factors, and that we might not see Harry stay there again,” he said (via Newsweek). “But if he does, it could be that Althorp becomes a kind of home away from home for Harry when he’s in Britain.”
Althorp may not be in an ideal location to become Harry’s U.K. base
Royston also noted Althorp may not be perfect were Harry to spend more time there. Sure, it’s a literal mansion situated on acres and acres of land, but its distance from London, England, could be problematic.
“He does need a place to stay, because obviously Harry and Meghan [Markle] got evicted from their U.K. home, Frogmore Cottage, by the king in 2023,” he said. (The home has sat empty ever since.) “So they don’t have that base anymore, which means there’s always this kind of question mark about where they’re going to stay.”
“Althorp is up in kind of the middle of England, so it’s not super close to London,” the podcast host continued. “So if Harry has London events, he might choose to stay in London. It would be quite a lengthy drive to get down from Althorp to the capital. But it’s an interesting one to keep an eye on.”
Harry wants to spend more time in the U.K.
According to a report from Hello! Magazine, Harry’s eager to be in the U.K. more (via Express). An insider told the outlet the soon-to-be 40-year-old wants to “spend more time” there while he still has U.K.-based projects, such as the Invictus Games and his Sentebale charity.
Going back home more often wouldn’t, insiders stressed, mean a return to royal life. “Both sides of the family need to do more to work things out. Otherwise it’s going to be a massive cloud that hangs over them,” one said.
“I don’t think he wants to stay away at all,” another added. “But that’s not the same as wanting to get back into semi-royal duties. If he is able to find a way to come to the U.K. and do the work he wants to do here and it not be awkward or strange or difficult, that is something he would be interested in.”
Since relocating to California, Harry has visited the U.K. mostly solo because, as he said in a 2024 documentary, he fears for his wife, the Duchess of Sussex’s safety amid his ongoing legal battle for security.
