Princess Diana's brother makes stop in Houston to promote furniture line
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Lord Charles Spencer, brother of the late Princess Diana, and most recently, great-uncle to new Princess Charlotte, stopped by Houston Friday. So what's the British royalty doing in Houston?
His official title is Ninth Earl Spencer. It's a name that's rich in history, but on Friday, he was in Houston to fight in the name of something else.
"Really I see my primary role as an earl preserving the estate of Althorp and keeping it going for hopefully another 500 years," Lord Charles Spencer said.
The "Althorp" that he mentions is his 500-year-old family estate in England. Nineteen generations have lived there. It's where Princess Diana grew up and it's where Lord Spencer and his family now call home.
"I hope that one day I'll pass it on to my son and him to his and on it goes," he said.
But preserving a home built in 1508 isn't cheap, which is why the earl was in Houston Friday.
"This is a furniture line that is either a direct copy or very heavily inspired by pieces in our collection," Lord Charles Spencer said.
He's presenting the Althorp Living History furniture line.
"It tends to be very classic English and European-looking furniture," he said.
And the proceeds go back to the Althorp estate, which is open to the public for tours. The grounds also happen to be the final resting place of his beloved sister, Diana.
"I thought at the time it was the only safe place for her to be. And it's proved to be the right decision," he said.
Lord Charles Spencer will be at Louis Shanks Furniture on Fondren from 7-9pm Friday.
