Tucked away in the heart of St James’s is one of London’s most sumptuous buildings. It’s the London house of the Spencer family - that’s the family of the infamous Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire, and the late Princess Diana.
Spencer House was the vision of John, the First Earl Spencer, born in 1734. He was the great-grandson of Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, who built Blenheim Palace. He was also the grandson of Third Earl of Sunderland. Young John inherited both these fortunes, becoming one of the wealthiest young men in the land.
Not only was John lucky in his birth. He was lucky in love, too. He married his childhood sweetheart, Georgiana Poynz. Unusually for the 18th century, the couple didn’t detest each other. They were genuinely in love.
Shortly after their marriage, and equipped with a vast fortune, they built a splendid new London house in St James’s overlooking Green Park, as compliment to Althorp, the country estate.
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