Princess Diana’s connection to the royal family began long before her marriage to King Charles, as she grew up in Park House, a property located just 500 metres from the Sandringham estate in Norfolk. The royal family frequently retreats to Sandringham during Easter and Christmas.

The Jacobethan-style property was originally built in 1862 at the request of the then Prince of Wales, later Edward VII, for a senior member of his household. Diana’s mother, Frances Shand Kydd, was born at Park House in 1936 when it was rented by her father, Maurice Roche, Lord Fermoy.

Diana’s father, John Spencer, later became a tenant of the house. On 1 July 1961, Frances and John’s fourth child, Diana Frances Spencer, was born at Park House, where she lived until she was 14. The Spencer family left the property to move to their ancestral home, Althorp, when Diana’s father inherited the earldom.

From Royal Home to Disability Hotel

In 1987, Queen Elizabeth II gifted the property to Leonard Cheshire Disability, and it was transformed into a hotel specifically catering to people with disabilities and their carers. The organisation ran the hotel for decades, and in 2019, they developed plans for a £2.3 million refurbishment. However, these plans were deferred due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The trust closed the hotel during the pandemic, and it has remained vacant ever since.

The home would have witnessed Diana’s first interactions with members of the royal family. Her former au pair, Inge Crane, told CNN in 2021 that a young Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor and Prince Edward would often swim in the pool on the property.

During its heyday, the hotel featured red-lined staircases, oversized fireplaces, floral bedspreads, and large gardens. A framed photograph of the late Princess of Wales adorned a fireplace as a tribute to the home’s heritage.

Why the Property Was Left Behind

Confirming the closure, the charity explained: “Since the original plan of September 2019 detailing an agreement to spend £2.3m redeveloping Park House – and match fund the same amount for further investment – cash resources and fund raising have understandably been shifted in response to the pandemic. Costs associated with the project have also risen significantly.”

They added: “We therefore cannot justify that outlay considering the current barriers that disabled people face across the world and coupled with the ongoing uncertainty surrounding Covid-19 and the impact to our work, it’s been proposed to discontinue the redevelopment and work with Sandringham Estate to exit the lease.”

A State of Disrepair

Photos obtained by the Mirror since the closure show the property falling into disrepair. Overgrown grass surrounds the home, a dilapidated shed has had its roof cave in, and window paint can be seen peeling from the main house alongside stained bricks. The once-grand residence now stands as a stark reminder of its former glory, sitting empty just a short distance from the royal estate where Diana’s son, King Charles III, continues to spend his holidays.