Princess Diana‘s brother, Charles Spencer, has remained silent on his daughter’s engagement amid a rumoured family rift.
On July 31, Eliza Spencer, 33, took to Instagram to reveal that her new fiancé, Channing Millerd, had popped the question on a romantic holiday in Santorini.
The tech executive got down on one knee in a stunning setting during sunset on the Greek island after dating the daughter of Charles Spencer and Victoria Aitken for almost a decade.
Eliza posted pictures to mark the special event and uploaded them on her social media account, along with the caption ‘Forever and Ever’ and it wasn’t long before her two sisters, Kitty and Amelia, publicly congratulated the couple.
However, the trio’s father has remained silent on his Instagram page. Earl Spencer often regularly posts insights into his life at Althorp House, the house he grew up in with sisters Diana, Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes.
But he has not yet commented on Eliza’s engagement announcement, which was published online three days ago.
Early on Monday morning, Charles posted a picture of several signed copies of his book, titled A Very Private School that was released last March – but has not wished his daughter Eliza and her to-be husband at the time of writing.
This is not the first time that Spencer has stayed quiet on his daughter’s engagement. In 2023, Amelia tied the knot with her husband Greg Mallett in South Africa, but he seemed notably absent from the milestone event.
After the first photographs from the nuptials were exclusively published by Hello! magazine, Charles shared a snap of a bird on X/Twitter and captioned his post: ‘Buzzard watching me closely in Althorp’s garden.’
Despite frequently posting on social media throughout Amelia and Greg’s wedding celebrations, Charles did not publicly address the landmark family occasion in any of his posts.
He also did not attend his eldest daughter Lady Kitty’s wedding to retail millionaire Michael Lewis in July 2021 – prompting rumours all was not well between the father-of-seven and his daughters from his first marriage to Victoria Aitken.
Lady Kitty – who is 32 years younger than her husband – was walked down the aisle by her brother Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp, 29, and half-brother Samuel Aitken, whose father is businessman Jonathan Aitken.
A source told the Daily Mail at the time: ‘Kitty and Charles were very close when she was growing up, but their relationship has cooled and been more distant since his marriage to his third wife, Karen, in 2011.
‘Charles recently suffered an injury and perhaps that will be the reason for him not travelling, but it is just easier for everyone that he is not there.
‘The four children are all close to their mother, Victoria, and get on well with their step-siblings, and their Spencer aunts and have forged their own relationships with one another without needing Charles to bind them together.’
Charles has since announced his divorce from Karen last year and is currently dating archaeologist, Cat Jarman.
Although Lady Amelia’s mother Victoria Aitken did not feature in photos from the welcome party, she was included on the guest list for Lady Kitty’s wedding in 2021 and is thought to have attended her second daughter’s nuptials.
Charles was married to Victoria from 1989 until 1997. The couple moved to Cape Town, South Africa, where Kitty and her siblings Lady Eliza, Lady Amelia and Louis were brought up away from the glare of public attention.
Princess Diana’s death occurred while their divorce case was in progress; shortly after their split was finalised, Earl Spencer moved back to the UK.
Last Thursday, Diana’s niece Eliza showcased her new ring, which features a lavish pear-shaped diamond, in her engagement announcement on Instagram.
A second photograph appeared to capture the moment Channing got down on one knee to the model during a romantic candlelit dinner overlooking the sea.
Eliza, a first cousin of Prince William and Prince Harry, put on an elegant display for the special moment in a silk red halter-neck dress and brown sandals.
Eliza and Channing first met at a dinner party in South Africa through the executive’s brother, Greg Mallet, according to Hello! magazine.
Talking to the publication, Eliza said, ‘We have such a strong, loving and supportive relationship.’
‘He truly is my best friend. We understand each other so well, and no matter what life brings, we’re always there for one another.’
Eliza added, ‘I absolutely believe he’s The One – our bond is built on so much trust, laughter and shared values.’
Eliza and Amelia live in London’s Fulham, around 15 minutes away from their elder sister, though they travel a lot, including back to South Africa, from where both their partners hail.
Following the union, the model will become a stepmother to Channing’s son from a previous relationship, Nate, who the loving father has dubbed his ‘perfect boy’ on Instagram.
In an interview with Hello! in March, Eliza said that she likes the idea of a destination wedding, particularly in Italy.
It comes after King Charles’s cousin announced the engagement of his eldest daughter, Ella Mountbatten.
British aristocrat Lord Ivar Mountbatten, 62, who previously won America’s The Traitors, took to Instagram to share the happy news of 29-year-old Ella’s engagement to Fergus Allways Wright.
‘I couldn’t be happier to announce the engagement of my eldest and most precious daughter Ella @ellamountbatten to her fabulous boyfriend Fergus @wright.fregus,’ the proud father wrote.
He continued, ‘Ferg is not one to be rushed, so I am incredibly pleased that he has finally put us all out of our misery!
‘I know he will look after my daughter to his dying day – they couldn’t be better suited. Enjoy this special time in your life.’
The father-of-three to Ella, Alix and Luli, with his ex-wife, Penny Mounbatten, signed the post off by writing, ‘Much love to you both. X #happycouple #finally #1down2togo.’
Ivar, who became the first member of the extended Royal Family to enter a same-sex union in 2018 with partner James Coyle, added a sweet photograph of the happy couple in the post.
Brand partnership manager Ella was all smiles as she proudly displayed her emerald and diamond-encrusted engagement ring while standing next to her fiancé, who works as an insurance executive.
The happy news follows the news that Ivar’s niece, Lady Tatiana Mountbatten, welcomed her second child earlier this year in April.
The 34-year-old equestrian and psychotherapist, who is the daughter of George Mountbatten, Marquess of Milford Haven, and Sarah Walker, took to Instagram to reveal she’s had a baby boy – and shared his unique and meaningful name.
She posted a series of sweet photographs, including one of the newborn wrapped up in a knitted jumper, a cloud-print beanie and tiny mittens, under a cosy blanket.
The aristocrat further revealed that she’d called her newborn Auberon, or Albie for short.
Tatiana shared several photographs of her eldest child Elodie, who she and husband Alexander ‘Alick’ Dru welcomed in September 2023, and her family enjoying the start of spring in the countryside.
The final photo in her set was of her holding both Elodie and Albie close as they cuddled on a sofa, Tatiana smiling at the camera and appearing radiant.
In another picture, the proud parent simply showed his tiny hand holding one of her fingers.
The mother-of-two wrote in the caption, ‘March might just have been the best month of my life.
‘We’ve been in the country for a month, Auberon (Albie) has been really wonderful to look after.
‘His big sister has adored being outside all day every day and is slowly getting used to him.
‘We’ve played, rested, nourished, slept a little, loved a lot and enjoyed every minute of the glorious spring weather.’
However, the time had come for the family to head back to London, Tatiana revealed.
‘Now it’s time to head back to London, to return to normal – or discover what our new normal looks like, and slowly find our stride again. Unbelievably grateful.’
Friends and family congratulated the family on their newest arrival, including Ella Mountbatten, daughter of Lord Ivar Mountbatten.
In a comment on the post, she wished Tatiana ahead of her birthday on April 16 and wrote, ‘My new little cuz Albie, he’s the sweetest Tats, congratulations and happy birthday for Wednesday.’
Tatiana also appeared eager to show Albie the reins of her beloved horses and to get him a pony of his own in the near future.
