Just like anyone, Princess Diana had her favorite spots, whether they went under-the-radar or she was mercilessly photographed frequenting them. In her later years, that included this Georgian-style Mayfair townhouse. Her father bought 24 Farm Street in 1990 for his second wife, Countess Raine Spencer, as a gift for her support during his recovery from a stroke.
For most of her life, Diana had a tense relationship with her stepmother. She and her siblings famously nicknamed the countess ‘Acid Raine.’ However, their relationship was rejuvenated in 1995 after Princess Diana’s father passed in 1992 and her marriage with then-Prince Charles was nearing its end. This home, in particular, became a refuge for Diana and she would visit Raine here, often spending hours alone in her father’s downstairs library.
Raine sold the charming manor in the early 2000s, moving back to the Grosvenor Square flat she and the late Earl Spencer formerly lived together. Art collectors Alan and Mary Hobart, the founders of Pyms Gallery in Mayfair, purchased the townhouse next. Now that they have both passed away, estate executors have listed the renowned home for the first time in 22 years.
Asking £10.95 million, the 4,894-square-foot townhouse spans an impressive four stories and has an elevator connecting the levels. The library was reportedly Earl Spencer’s favorite room, and where Diana would take quiet time to herself. Meanwhile, Raine liked to entertain guests in the formal dining room. It’s still adorned in the same bright red as the dining room at Althorp House, the Spencer estate where Diana grew up. The Hobarts continued Raine’s tradition of glamorous hosting here. Everyone from Irish prime ministers to Irish contemporary artists have stopped in over the past two decades.
In total, the dashing London abode holds five bedrooms, light-filled reception rooms, two patios, and a roof terrace. It’s legacy is perhaps its biggest selling point, however, and Wetherell and Chestertons share the listing