Earl Spencer has welcomed a new addition to his ancestral home on the Althorp Estate in Northamptonshire. Taking to X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Charles, brother of the late Princess Diana, shared a couple of photos from his stable block. "So pleased to welcome Aslan to @AlthorpHouse - a former Police horse, he needed somewhere to retire to," the 61-year-old wrote. "Delighted to look after him now. He's very charming and playful and has settled in quickly - having been stationed in London, he's particularly loving the green fields."
Over on Instagram, Charles posted another update, noting that Aslan was "very playful" and had "settled in straightaway" at Althorp. "His new best friend is my granddaughter's Shetland…. Since Aslan is 17 hands, they are the little and large of the place," he captioned more photos of the estate's newest residence.
Prior to welcoming Aslan, Charles – who has spoken widely about his love and affinity for animals – confirmed in June 2025 that he had also taken in some alpacas at Althorp. "They are heavenly: full of natural nobility, and surprisingly deep emotions. @catjarman is obsessed with them, and I am amazed by their knowing charm," he remarked on social media.
"They've settled in very happily, and they've brought equal happiness to all who encounter them - it seems it's impossible not to smile every time you see them. And they're fascinated by their surroundings - particularly by the sight of the Deer Park in the distance. Maybe they have a cousinly love for the deer over there? They've only been with us for three weeks, yet it's already hard to imagine Althorp without them…."
The historic stables at Althorp
Equipped to cater for hundreds of animals over the years, including Tim the peacock, as well as red deer, alpacas and Guinea fowl. Charles has also been able to accommodate several horses, thanks to the spacious stables on his 13,000-acre estate. Back in 2022, the father-of-seven, who is a keen historian, shed some light on the building's origins.
"The Stables at @althorphouse - built to house 100 horses and 40 grooms, in the early 1700s," Charles captioned a photo on Instagram. "The building is made from the beautiful, local, ironstone - a warm, soft material that glows in the sunshine, as is the case today, in early morning light. In World War 1, Canadian infantrymen were billeted here. World War 2 saw children evacuated from London living safely here before being reunited with their parents. It's more beautiful than the main house here, in my view."
Providing further context, the Earl uploaded a sun-soaked snap of the stables last year. "The Stables were built in c.1730 by another Charles Spencer," the 61-year-old revealed. "He inherited @althorphouse first, and had grand and ambitious plans for the place: he was going to throw out two extra wings to greatly extend the size of the present structure. But then he also inherited @blenheimpalace and chose - understandably! - to live there instead.
"Charles's younger brother, the Hon John Spencer, then took over Althorp," he continued. "The Stables have been the glorious backdrop to Althorp for John's fortunate descendants for the past seven generations."
