A property in Cape Town is attracting attention for more than its size, views or asking price. Set within the grounds of the Tarrystone Estate in Upper Constantia, the South African residence has a personal connection to Princess Diana, who used to visit the estate after her separation and divorce from King Charles III. She found privacy there, away from the attention that followed her in Britain, staying in a small thatched cottage on the grounds. As reported by GB News, the estate is now being offered for sale at £6.75 million, with the cottage where Diana spent time reportedly retained much as it was during her visits.
Why Princess Diana chose her brother’s South African estate for privacy
Diana’s connection to Tarrystone developed during a difficult period in her personal life. After her marriage to Charles ended, she travelled to South Africa and stayed at the property owned by her brother, Charles Spencer. The estate, located in Upper Constantia, offered a quieter setting, with views towards the surrounding mountains and the ocean.Rather than occupying the main residence, Diana used a separate, thatched one-bedroom cottage within the grounds. The accommodation included its own kitchen, bathroom and living area, giving her a degree of independence from the larger household. According to the account published by GB News, Spencer reserved the cottage exclusively for his sister, and she returned to the estate on several occasions.
How Diana’s visits to Cape Town became part of the estate’s history
The estate also has a connection to the period when Diana was undertaking humanitarian work in South Africa. During a visit to Cape Town in 1997, she met former South African president Nelson Mandela at Genadendal, his official residence in the city. Their 20-minute meeting focused on the HIV/AIDS crisis in South Africa, an issue Diana had supported through her charitable work and public appearances.Mandela praised Diana for helping challenge the stigma surrounding people living with HIV/AIDS, recalling how her visits to hospital patients had helped change public perceptions of the disease. The meeting took place five months before her death in August 1997.Although the meeting with Mandela took place elsewhere in Cape Town, Diana’s visits to Tarrystone Estate remain part of the property’s history. The thatched cottage where she stayed has reportedly remained largely unchanged. While parts of the accommodation have undergone renovation, her bedroom has been preserved in its original arrangement. According to a person associated with the estate, Prince William and Prince Harry also visited the property with their mother.
How Charles Spencer’s own marriage breakdown led him to buy the South African estate
Charles Spencer, Diana’s younger brother and the 9th Earl Spencer, acquired the South African estate during a period of personal change in his own life. The property provided a place away from the attention surrounding the Spencer family in Britain, particularly as his marriage to his first wife, Victoria Lockwood, was breaking down.The estate included a four-bedroom country residence and several guest cottages. Spencer eventually decided to sell the property following Diana’s death and move back to England.
Inside the £6.75 million Tarrystone Estate
The property is situated in Upper Constantia, one of Cape Town’s established residential areas, with views across False Bay. Its asking price is approximately £6.75 million, according to the sale details reported by GB News.The estate has 10 bedrooms in total, alongside two staff cottages. Its facilities extend well beyond the main accommodation, with a tennis court, a private cinema seating 10 people and a swimming pool designed in a Grecian style. Diana reportedly spent time swimming and sunbathing around the pool during her visits.There are also two vineyards on the grounds. Together, they produce around 300 bottles of wine annually, adding a small-scale wine-making operation to the residential property. Security arrangements include a guard house, CCTV, gated access and electric fencing.
What makes Diana’s cottage different from the main residence
The one-bedroom thatched cottage where Diana stayed is separate from the larger house. It has a kitchen, bathroom and living room, making it a self-contained accommodation rather than simply an additional bedroom within the main residence.The cottage has been described as a time capsule because of the decision to retain Diana’s bedroom in its original arrangement. According to the source cited by GB News, the rest of the cottage has been renovated, but the bedroom has not been substantially altered.Lynne Baker of Greeff Christie’s International Real Estate, the agency handling the sale, said the property’s connection with the Spencer family and Diana contributed to its historical significance. She also pointed to its established place in Cape Town’s heritage and the documented history associated with the estate.Disclaimer: This article is based on information published by GB News and other publicly available reports. The Times of India has not independently verified the property’s ownership history, asking price, features, historical associations or details of Princess Diana’s visits to the estate. Property details and descriptions are based on information attributed to the sources cited and may be subject to change.
