Not all lineages are created equal. While one might expect Prince Charles to be the ultimate in royal breeding, others are even better born. For one, his late wife. Princess Diana’s family, the house of Spencer, is a long-lasting British dynasty, reaching back to the 16th century. The Windsors, on the other hand, are of German descent, having adopted their current name only in 1917. Which is to say, Charles married up.
Here, get to know the Spencers.
1. Henry Spencer, first Earl of Sunderland (1620-1643)
The founder of the house of Spencer was born the third Baron Spencer and later given the first Earl of Sunderland peerage, spinning off a new title for the eldest Spencer men that would last until the 1750s.
2. Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire (1757-1806)
Diana’s fourth-great-aunt also married a man nearly 10 years her senior and was seen as an influencer, popularizing French hair powder, among other trends.
3. Lady Diana Spencer (1710-1735)
She was Diana’s namesake—and more. The original Lady Di was supposed to marry the Prince of Wales, but King George II was warned by his prime minister to find a wife “less politically threatening” for his son.
4. Charles Spencer, the third Earl of Sunderland (1702-1722)
He merged the Spencers with the Churchills through his marriage to Anne Churchill.
5. Sarah Churchill, Duchess of Marlborough (1660-1744)
Rachel Weisz played her in 2018’s The Favourite, depicting her close (and possibly romantic) relationship with Queen Anne.
6. Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)
The prime minister was Princess Diana’s distant cousin. To this day, some members of the family still style their last name as Spencer-Churchill.
7. Dame Barbara Cartland (1901-2000)
The romance novelist was Diana’s step-grandmother (meaning her stepmother’s mother). She holds the record for most books published in a single year.
8. Albert Spencer, seventh Earl Spencer (1892-1975)
Diana’s grandfather was a member of the army reserves. His godfather was King Edward VII.
9. Raine Spencer (1929-2016)
The British socialite’s second husband (of three) was Diana’s father, though Diana and her siblings reportedly called their stepmother “Acid Raine.”
10. John Spencer, eighth Earl Spencer (1924-1992)
Diana’s father raised the future princess and her three siblings, as he was awarded custody after his divorce from LadyFrances Roche.
11. Lady Frances Roche (1936-2004)
Diana’s mother was an aristocrat in her own right, the daughter of a baron and baroness. In 1967, she left John Spencer for wallpaper heir Peter Shand Kydd.
12. Prince Charles (1948- )
The Prince of Wales is, of course, the heir to the British throne and married Diana when she was 20. The pair eventually divorced in 1996.
13. Princess Diana (1961-1997)
The subject of our family tree, the Princess of Wales (born Diana Frances Spencer) was an activist and style icon.
14. Lady Sarah McCorquodale (1955-)
Diana’s eldest sister dated Charles before Diana did. It was, in fact, Sarah who introduced the pair.
15. Lady Jane Fellowes (1957-)
Diana’s other sister married Robert Fellowes. He later was granted a peerage, making Jane a baroness.
16. Charles Spencer, ninth Earl Spencer (1964-)
Diana’s brother is an author and TV reporter; he resides at Althorp, the family estate. He’s the father of seven children, including Lady Kitty Spencer.
17. Prince William (1982-)
The second in line to the throne, the Duke of Cambridge is Diana’s older son. He has three children with his wife, Catherine (née Middleton).
18. Prince Harry (1984-)
Diana’s younger son, the Duke of Sussex stepped back from his royal duties in 2020. He now reigns over Santa Barbara, California, where he lives with his wife Meghan (née Markle) and their two children.
19. Lady Kitty Spencer (1990-)
Diana’s 30-year-old niece has made her name as a model. She recently married 62-year-old fashion mogul Michael Lewis.
20. George Washington (1732-1799)
The Founding Father was Diana’s eighth cousin, five times removed.
21. Audrey Hepburn (1929-1993)
Audrey and Diana shared more than just style—they were distant cousins. Hepburn was also a member of Dutch nobility through her mother.
22. Glenn Close (1947-)
On PBS’s Finding Your Roots, Close found out she was an eighth cousin of Diana. The pair met in 1989, though they were unaware of the link at the time.
23. Oliver Platt (1960-)
The actor was a second cousin to the Princess of Wales through his great-great-grandparents, though the two never met.
A version of this story appeared in the November 2021 issue of Town & Country.
