Princess Diana’s brother Earl Spencer revealed he was left in tears after receiving a “shockingly beautiful” gift as he celebrated his 60th birthday over the weekend.
Charles, who reaches the milestone today, took to his social media accounts to share photos of the thoughtful homemade gift, explaining that it honors his sister, the late Princess of Wales, who died in a car accident in 1997.
Diana’s final resting place is situated on a private island in the middle of Loch Oval on Althorp Estate in Northampton, where she grew up.
Although there is a memorial for the public to pay their respects, Diana’s grave is completely remote and can only be visited by family.
One of Charles’ friends decided to give the author a “stunningly beautiful canoe,” handmade by her husband of many months, who explained, “I thought it would come in handy when you visit your sister.”
Earl Spencer, Princess Diana, Charles, Lady Jane Fellowes and Lady Sarah McCorquodale at Earl Spencer’s 21st birthday party in 1985
Taking to Instagram today, Charles shared a selection of images of the touching gift, located by the lake in Althorp.
He captioned the photos: “Today I turned 60. Had 30 friends and family to stay for the weekend…
—A friend took me to Althorp Lake on Saturday. Her husband handcrafted this amazingly beautiful canoe for me, as a surprise, over many months. I cried when I saw it. It’s almost too exquisite to row.
‘The husband said, “I thought it would be useful when you visit your sister.” What an overwhelmingly beautiful thought.
He also shared the story and photos on
‘“Something for you to visit your sister,” he said. Without words, I could only cry at the beauty of that thought.’
Fans were delighted with the gift, with one person writing in the comments section of Instagram: ‘What a beautiful and thoughtful gift! I had tears in my eyes when I read your message!
Another said: ‘Happy 60th birthday, how beautiful that canoe is and how lovely that you visit your (and our) Princess Diana in it.’ What intelligent and thoughtful friends you have. PS: I got excited just reading your post.’
Princess Diana’s brother Earl Spencer revealed he was left in tears after receiving a “shockingly beautiful” gift (pictured) as he celebrated his 60th birthday over the weekend.
One of Charles’ friends decided to give the author a “stunningly beautiful canoe,” handmade by her husband of many months, who explained, “I thought it would come in handy when you visit your sister.”
Diana’s final resting place is situated on a private island in the middle of Loch Oval on Althorp Estate in Northampton, where she grew up. Although there is a monument for the public to pay their respects, Diana’s grave is completely remote and can only be visited by her family.
Taking to Instagram and X, formerly Twitter, Charles today shared a selection of images of the touching gift, located by the lake in Althorp.
A third added: “OMG what an incredibly thoughtful friend, one of the most beautiful gestures I’ve ever heard of.” You must be a great friend too for someone to give you a gift like that.’
It comes after Earl Spencer attended his nephew Prince Harry’s Invictus Games service earlier this month in London.
The Duke of Sussex, 39, gave a warm hug to his uncle and aunt Lady Jane Fellowes at St Paul’s Cathedral before the event to celebrate the competition’s 10th anniversary.
Princess Diana’s brothers were also joined by former army officer Mark Dyer, who acted as Harry’s mentor after their mother’s death in Paris in 1997.
Reaction: Fans were delighted with the gift, with one person writing in the comments section of Instagram: ‘What a beautiful and thoughtful gift! I had tears in my eyes when I read your message!
Other notable guests at the service in London included his cousin Louis Spencer, lawyer David Sherbourne and the Prime Minister’s wife, Akshata Murty.
But there were no royals with Harry, instead putting on a show of unity for King Charles, who attended a garden party at Buckingham Palace two miles away.
Former BBC royal correspondent Michael Cole said it was notable that none of Harry’s royal blood relatives, including his father and brother William, who attended the inaugural Invictus event in London alongside Harry in 2014, were at St Paul’s.
He told MailOnline that “there was never much love lost between the Spencers and the Windsors”, and that “the division showed itself in its deepest and rawest form” at the service.
Harry’s uncle Earl Spencer and aunt Lady Jane Fellowes arrive at St Paul’s in London on May 8.
Prince Harry waves as he arrives to attend the ceremony at St Paul’s Cathedral on May 8.
Cole noted that while Harry’s “birth family,” led by Earl Spencer and Lady Jane Fellowes, came to St Paul’s to support the duke, “the whole royal family stayed away.”
He also recalled that when Princess Diana’s coffin arrived for burial at the Spencer family estate in Althorp, Northamptonshire, in 1997, Earl Spencer “ripped off the flag covering it and replaced it with the Spencer banner.”
Cole said: “Nothing could have more clearly illustrated the gulf that will always separate two famous families.”
“Words have power and actions have consequences, as Prince Harry, whose criticism of his Windsor family has been harsh, cruel and hurtful, is increasingly discovering.”
