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Princess Diana’s Brother Posts Centuries-Old Portrait of Ancestor with Surprise Connection to Queen Elizabeth II

Charles Spencer.
Paul Archuleta/Getty Images

Thanks to Princess Diana's younger brother, Charles Spencer, 59, we've learned that there were actually many ways in which the Spencer family was connected to the British royals, long before Lady Di and the now-King Charles III said “I do.”

In one of the 9th Earl Spencer’s latest Instagram posts, he displayed a centuries-old portrait featuring three of his ancestors—George, Georgiana and Frederick Spencer. And as the historical author points out, his great-great grandfather, Frederick, was actually close to the late Queen Elizabeth II's great-great grandma, Queen Victoria.

Charles began with background on the portrait, writing, “George, Georgiana and Frederick Spencer, in the early 1800s, by Henry Edridge. They were three of the younger children at Althorp at the time.”

While describing the lives of both George and Georgiana, the 9th Earl Spencer finally landed on Frederick, who is the one that connects the Spencer family to the British monarchy.

Spencer wrote: “Frederick served as a junior officer under Nelson, and rose to become a vice-admiral, served Queen Victoria as a senior member of her royal household (she said Frederick had the best legs in England), and was a Member of Parliament. He is my great-great grandfather.”

Queen Victoria.
Getty Images

While Frederick was winning over Queen Victoria with his legs, he wasn't the only Spencer connected to the royals.

In fact, Princess Diana's brother has previously revealed that their great aunt, Lavinia, was also tied to the monarchy.

“Lavinia married a local aristocrat, and served the late Queen Mother as a Lady In Waiting, when the Queen Mother was Duchess of York: she and Lavinia were childhood friends,” Spencer revealed on his IG in July 2021.

It's hard not to wonder just how far back these familial connections go.

Princess Diana's Brother Just Shared a Rare Photo of a Royal Family Member—and the Lookalike Vibe Is Uncanny


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calfee

Associate Editor, News and Entertainment

Joel is the former Associate Editor for News & Entertainment and has been reporting on all things pop culture for over 5 years. Before working at PureWow, he served as a Features Editor at ROCKET Magazine. When he's not dissecting the latest trends in entertainment (or guiding you on what to watch), he covers all the hottest red carpet looks and fashion movements. When he steps away from the keyboard, you can likely find him at an NYC concert, thrift store or LGBTQ+ bookstore happily perusing the shelves.