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WATCH: Countess Spencer breathes new life into Diana's childhood home

Renovations include tasteful horticultural improvements to the island garden where the late princess was laid to rest

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By Marchelle Abrahams And Daily Mail | May 15, 2019 | Video

About five years ago Canadian-born former hotel receptionist Karen Spencer found herself moving into the childhood home of the late Princess Diana.

Now, the wife of Diana's brother Earl Spencer, has finally completed a major renovation of Althorp Estate.

The countess told the Daily Mail she was proud to have transformed the home into something "a bit more glam".

Renovations include tasteful horticultural improvements to the island garden where the princess was laid to rest, and two en-suite bathrooms installed in the guest rooms of the house.

Now Spencer's labour of love will be displayed in the glossy pages of Town & Country magazine’s summer edition.

Althorp is "a house to be lived in, not a museum", she told the magazine. "My favourite thing about life here is the English country house weekend, which is a completely foreign concept to those of us from North America.

"When I moved in, I made them a bit more glam: we switched dinner on Saturday nights to black tie, because everyone wants to dress up – the venue demands it. Plus, it’s a great excuse for me to wear the Spencer jewellery."

Additional reporting by Sam Greenhill