The majestic "Althorp" estate is more than just a sprawling
home in the English countryside: It's the family home of Princess Diana. Diana
spent her teenage years at Althorp, and it's now the residence of her younger
brother, Charles Spencer.
Althorp was also a major inspiration for Netflix's "Bridgerton."
NBC News correspondent Molly Hunter traveled to the 13, 000-acre estate for a
closer look. Spencer himself gave her a personal tour.
For "Bridgerton" creator Chris Van Dusen, Spencer's description is
accurate. The executive producer and showrunner visited Althorp in 2018, and it
quickly inspired some of the sets for the steamy Regency-era romance.
"You walk into that house, and it's immediately apparent that it's a
family home, and there's a warmth there, " Van Dusen said. "And everything
is just so opulent and elegant. I really wanted to capture the spirit of a
family and the love that a family holds for each other."
On Twitter, Van Dusen said that a major piece of inspiration had been
Althorp's main staircase, which is lined with family portraits.