Royal fans and fashion followers are familiar with Princess Diana's nieces Kitty, Eliza and Amelia Spencer, with the glamorous trio being a regular fixture on the British society scene. While Kitty and crew frequently make appearances on social media (and in this magazine), they have a lesser-known sibling who stays out of the spotlight—and it turns out their brother Louis Spencer will one day inherit a massive fortune.
As Viscount Althorp, Louis—who is celebrating his 31st birthday on Friday, March 14—is the eldest son of Princess Diana's brother Charles, Earl Spencer and therefore heir to the Spencer dynasty. Even though he has three older sisters, the custom of male primogeniture means Kitty, Amelia and Eliza have been cut out of inheriting the family estate.
When the earl dies, Louis will take over the Spencer seat of Althorp, where Princess Diana is buried. Per the Sun, the estate is "estimated to be worth a staggering £100m," making it a roughly $130 million fortune.
Louis, Kitty, Amelia and Eliza's mother is Charles Spencer's first wife, Victoria Aitken, and they share two half-siblings Edmund “Ned” Spencer and Lady Lara Caroline Spencer from their father's second marriage to Caroline Freud. They also have a little sister, Charlotte Diana Spencer, from the earl's failed third marriage to Karen Gordon.
"Primogeniture can be a tricky topic, because as times are changing, attitudes are as well," Lady Kitty told Town & Country in 2021. However, she added that she and her sisters have "grown up understanding that it’s Louis to inherit, and Louis will do an incredible job."
Unlike his sisters, Louis keeps a low profile—in fact, you'd be hard-pressed to find a current photo of the Spencer heir. But he's always been there to support his family, and walked big sis Kitty down the aisle during her lavish 2021 wedding in Italy. Louis was raised in South Africa alongside his sisters and later attended the University of Edinburgh.
The aspiring actor graduated from London's Arts Educational Schools and according to the Daily Mail, uses the stage name Louis John Lyons. It seems he's yet to make his big Hollywood debut, but the Spencer heir is signed to the Tavistock Wood talent agency alongside several big names like Dominic West.
While Louis hasn't spoken about his budding career, Earl Spencer shared in 2019 (via the Daily Mail), "Louis lives in London. He’s an actor at drama school and works incredibly hard and I want him to be able to fulfill his dreams in that direction. It is full on: he’s doing 14-hour days."
