Royals

Lady Eliza Spencer, Princess Diana’s Niece, Is Looking Forward to a Visit With Prince Harry and Meghan Markle

Lady Eliza Spencer is the first member of Prince Harry's family to publicly speak on his family's return to the UK.
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A family reunion is coming up for Lady Eliza Spencer and Prince Harry. On August 26, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, accompanied by their children, officially arrived in Birmingham via private jet, marking their return to the United Kingdom after several years in the United States. This is a prospect that particularly delights Lady Eliza Spencer, Princess Diana’s niece and Prince Harry’s cousin. When asked by the Mirror on the day of their arrival, she confided that the idea of seeing Harry again was “exciting.” With that comment, she becomes the first member of the prince’s family to publicly comment on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's return to British soil.

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Sources tell Vanity Fair that the Prince and Princess of Wales had no idea Harry and Meghan were coming back and had already enrolled Archie and Lili in a private prep school.

The Earl Spencer, Lady Eliza Spencer’s father and Lady Diana’s brother, had welcomed the Sussexes, along with Archie and Lilibet, to the Spencer family home during their visit to the United Kingdom last month. What initially appeared to be a simple family vacation may ultimately have marked the beginning of a new chapter for the Sussexes, who are said to have chosen to settle in the Cotswolds, in the heart of the English countryside.

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Lady Eliza Spencer, Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp, Victoria Lockwood, and Lady Kitty Spencer attend the wedding of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England.

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It’s a change of scenery after several years spent at their Montecito estate in California. And this new location could well make it easier to reconnect with the Spencers: the Cotswolds are about an hour and a half’s drive from Althorp, the family estate in Northamptonshire. “We would love to be able to find some time to visit,” Lady Eliza said.

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Ensconced in their cozy Montecito mansion, the Sussexes are living the American dream. By all accounts, the love is real. But their foray into moguldom has not always been a smooth ride.

Lady Eliza and her twin sister, Lady Amelia, regulars in the Wimbledon stands, might also accompany Meghan during the upcoming season. It would be an opportunity to support Naomi Osaka, a close friend of the Duchess of Sussex and a guest on her podcast in 2022.

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Lady Amelia Spencer and Lady Eliza Spencer on June 10, 2026.

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On the business front, Eliza and Meghan Markle also share a common interest in the world of wine. The Duchess of Sussex has As Ever, her lifestyle brand that offers, among other things, a Napa Valley rosé, while Lady Eliza launched her own rosé, Lala V, in July. This shared passion could very well bring the two women closer together and—why not?—pave the way for a future collaboration: When asked if she'd trade winemaking tips with Meghan Markle, Eliza Spencer responded “Maybe!” Or perhaps it's just friendship that's in the cards. Either way, these new developments suggest that the Spencers could very well take center stage in this new chapter of the Sussexes’ lives.

Originally published by Vanity Fair France