One Of Princess Diana’s Favourite Homes Has Sold For Over £10M
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2 months ago
It's one of Mayfair's biggest (and fastest) sales this year
This Mayfair townhouse is pretty special: formerly owned by Princess Diana’s father and his second wife, Countess Raine Spencer, it was frequently visited by Diana herself. The house hit the market in June for the first time in 22 years, and after a huge wave of enquiries, the eventual buyer revised their initial offer and snapped up the property in less than a week. Here’s the rundown.
Look Inside…24 Farm Street, The Spencer Family’s Mayfair Townhouse
Wetherell
The handsome stucco façade of 24 Farm Street guards more than a few secrets. Purchased in 1990 by Princess Diana’s father, Earl Spencer, this Mayfair property once served as the residence of Countess Raine Spencer, the Earl’s second wife and Princess Diana’s stepmother. Although Diana wasn’t initially close with Raine, they formed a strong bond after Diana’s divorce in 1996, and the Princess subsequently began to visit 24 Farm Street frequently – often accompanied by Mohammed Al-Fayed.
Wetherell
The townhouse spans nearly 5,000 square feet of space across five floors, and it even features a passenger lift. There’s plenty of outdoor space, too, with patio spaces on the lower level and the ground floor as well as a charming roof terrace at the top of the house.
The lower ground floor is complete with its own entrance and features a guest bedroom, bathroom and dressing room. You’ll also find staff accommodation here, providing a bedroom, bathroom and kitchen. Upstairs, the grand reception hall leads into a sleek kitchen/breakfast room, while the neighbouring dining room is still painted in the same shade of red as the dining room at Althorp House, the Spencer family’s stately home.
Wetherell
The first floor is occupied by two magnificent reception rooms: an elegant drawing room and a spacious library – the room favoured by both Earl Spencer and Princess Diana, especially after the Earl’s death.
Two bedroom suites are located on the second floor, both of which offer luxurious dressing rooms and large bathrooms. The top floor features a self-contained suite encompassing a bedroom, dressing room and bathroom as well as a cosy sitting room leading out onto the south-facing roof terrace.
Wetherell
While 24 Farm Street is no longer owned by the Spencer family, its legacy certainly remains, and it now boasts another fascinating story: after the Countess moved to Grosvenor Square in the late 2000s, the property was eventually sold to art collectors Alan and Mary Hobart, founders of Pyms Gallery in Mayfair. 24 Farm Street subsequently served as both the Hobarts’ residence and a separate, private art gallery, playing host to prominent socialites and politicians including multiple Irish prime ministers.
Wetherell
Peter Wetherell, Founder & Executive Chairman of Wetherell, stated: ‘We are delighted to confirm the sale of the former Mayfair residence of Countess Raine Spencer on Farm Street. Given its illustrious heritage the house had a wave of enquiries from around the world when it was listed for sale, and within days offers were received from several serious bidders. The house was effectively sold in less than 100 hours of coming to the market, an ultra-fast deal which is believed to be the fastest house sale in Mayfair during 2024.’
If walls could talk, this home would have a lot of stories to tell…
24 Farm Street was listed for £10.95 million. The sale was managed by joint sole agents Wetherell and Chestertons.
