A relative of Prince William and Prince Harry is about to come into a huge inheritance.
While most people are familiar with the royal family and their extended relatives, the princes’ Spencer-side cousins are much less well known.
It has been decades since Princess Diana’s passing in 1997, and her family tends to keep a low profile. However, her nephew Louis is now in the spotlight as he prepares to inherit the Spencer fortune.
At 31, the actor has largely stayed out of the public eye, but he’s making headlines now as he’s set to receive a staggering $130 million (£100.26 million) from the family estate.
Louis, also known as Viscount Althorp, was even named one of Britain’s most eligible bachelors by Tatler in 2019.
The publication described him as “tall, debonair, and very handsome.”
He even attended Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s wedding, showcasing his signature Spencer features—strikingly similar to Harry’s—which earned him the nickname “Harry Lite.”
As the eldest son of Princess Diana’s brother, Charles, and his first wife, Victoria Lockwood, he holds a unique place in the family.
Despite having three older sisters—Kitty, Amelia, and Eliza—they were unable to inherit the family fortune due to the long-standing male primogeniture rule, which ensures the eldest son receives the estate and wealth.
When his father passes away, he will inherit the title of the 10th Earl Spencer and take ownership of Princess Diana’s family home, the sprawling 13,500-acre Althorp Estate.
Louis’ older sister, Kitty, shared her thoughts on the matter with Town & Country, saying, “Primogeniture can be a tricky topic because, as times are changing, so are attitudes. We’ve grown up understanding that it’s Louis who will inherit, and Louis will do an incredible job.”
As reported by The Sun, the estate is valued at approximately £100 million.
Recently, royal watchers have been commenting on the striking resemblance between Prince Harry and Louis, especially after Louis celebrated his birthday this month.
Louis had one of his first major royal appearances at Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding in 2011 when he was just 17. Seven years later, he attended Harry and Meghan’s wedding in 2018.
While Harry and William have settled down, Louis, on the other hand, has received plenty of marriage proposals from admirers—though good luck convincing him to say yes!
The Spencer family moved to Cape Town in 1995 to escape the intense public attention following Princess Diana’s marriage and split from King Charles. Louis attended Diocesan College there before returning to the UK to study at the University of Edinburgh, later enrolling at the ArtsEd drama school in Chiswick.
These days, he goes by the stage name Louis John Lyons and is represented by the same talent agency as Lily James and Dominic West.
So, who knows? We might see him on screen or on stage soon—or perhaps making an appearance at another royal event!