Where Is Princess Diana Buried? All About Her Oval Lake Grave at Althorp

Princess Diana’s brother Charles Spencer has called the late royal's private grave at Althorp Estate "tranquil"

Princess Diana is buried on the grounds of her childhood home.

Following her tragic death on Aug. 31, 1997, the royal was laid to rest on a small, secluded, tree-covered island at Althorp Estate known as Oval Lake Grave.

“It has been decided to bury Diana, Princess of Wales, in the grounds of Althorp Park, where her grave can be properly looked after by her family and visited in privacy by her sons," her brother, Charles, 9th Earl Spencer, said in a statement after her death.

He later told BBC, "There was such a whipped-up feeling of emotion everywhere that I was very worried about where we could safely bury her."

Charles previously spoke to PEOPLE about Diana’s resting place within the property’s Pleasure Gardens. “She’s in a happy and secure place,” he said.

While Princess Diana's gravesite is not accessible to the public, visitors can pay tribute to the late royal at a memorial erected on the property. In November 2023, Charles visited his late sister’s memorial, sharing a photo of the building on Instagram and writing, "A special corner of Althorp, this morning."

Related: Where Are Royal Family Members Buried? All About Queen Elizabeth and Others' Final Resting Places

Here's everything to know about Princess Diana's grave at Althorp.

Princess Diana’s brother Charles chose her final resting place

While much of Princess Diana's bloodline is buried at St. Mary the Virgin church in Great Brington, including her father, John Spencer, the late princess was laid to rest 80 miles north of the family vault. Her brother, Charles, chose to bury Diana at their childhood home, Althorp Estate, due to concerns about public safety.

Diana’s brother also wanted her sons, Prince William and Prince Harry, to be able to visit their mother in privacy. “I think it’s very important for them to be there with her,” Charles once told PEOPLE. “It is, luckily, very tranquil here and they can come and go as they wish whenever they want. And that’s very lovely for me to know that."

Charles also wrote about his decision in his 1998 book, Althorp: The Story of an English House. “We all agreed that, with its beauty and tranquility, this was the place for Diana to be," he shared.

She is buried on an island

Diana’s grave is located on a small island in the middle of the property’s ornamental Oval Lake. Though a temporary walkway was constructed for her 1997 funeral, according to The Independent, it was later removed, deterring unwanted guests from visiting the site.

As Charles wrote in his book, its remoteness is entirely intentional, with the lake “[acting] as a buffer against the interventions of the insane and ghoulish, the thick mud presenting a further line of defense.”

Oval Lake was originally built for ice skating

According to Charles, Oval Lake, which The Independent reported was designed by Samuel Lapidge, was created in the 19th century, “when English winters were generally much colder than now.”

“It was put in because my family had a thing for ice skating,” he wrote on Instagram in October 2022.

36 oak trees were planted near the lake in honor of Princess Diana

The Sun reported in August 2023 that the path to Oval Lake is lined with 36 oak trees — one for each year of Princess Diana's life.

According to The Independent, the trees were planted by members of the royal family, including the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, King Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry as well as members of Diana’s family including her father and brother.

Princess Diana’s gravesite isn’t open to the public

While Princess Diana's burial site is not open to the public, those seeking to honor the late princess can still pay tribute to her memory at a separate memorial built on the grounds of Althorp in July 1998, according to the Washington Post.

Known as “The Temple," the Grecian-looking building was purchased for 3 pounds by John, 5th Earl Spencer in the 1880s, according to The Independent. It now bears Diana’s name and features two tablets. A quote from the princess is printed on one: "Nothing brings me more happiness than trying to help the most vulnerable people in society. It is a goal and an essential part of my life, a kind of destiny, whoever is in distress can call on me. I will come running wherever they are.”

The other has a quote taken from Charles' eulogy, which he delivered during her funeral at Westminster Abbey: “We give thanks for the life of a woman I am so proud to be able to call my sister, the unique, the complex, the extraordinary & irreplaceable Diana, whose beauty both internal & external will never extinguish from our minds.”

Charles also opened a museum dedicated to Diana’s memory at Althorp for a time, which allowed paying visitors to see artifacts that belonged to the royal, including her dresses, tiaras and jewelry, as well as more sentimental artifacts, such as pictures, letters and home movies. Per the Washington Post, the earl vowed to donate a “substantial portion” of the museum’s earnings to his sister’s memorial charity.

Though the museum closed in 2014, the public can still visit Diana's memorial and Althorp Estate during the summer months.

Prince William and Kate Middleton visited Princess Diana's grave before their 2011 wedding

Prior to tying the knot on April 29, 2011, Prince William and Kate made the journey to Diana’s gravesite to pay their respects, as reported by The Mirror.

According to the publication, the couple held hands while walking the grounds. After taking a boat to Diana’s gravesite, Kate and William laid flowers in her honor.

The Mirror also reported that Prince William showed Kate the nearby arboretum, where he and Harry planted trees as children.

Prince Harry brought Meghan Markle to Princess Diana’s gravesite on the anniversary of her death

On the 25th anniversary of Diana’s death in 2022, Prince Harry brought his wife, Meghan Markle, to Oval Lake for the first time. Prince Harry recalled making the trip in his 2023 memoir, Spare, writing, “I helped Meg into the boat. It wobbled, but I quick-stepped to the middle, got it righted in time.”

He continued: “As she found a seat in the stern, I took up the oars. They didn't work. We're stuck. The thick mud of the shallows had us in its grip. Uncle Charles came down to the water's edge, gave us a little shove.”

Though Harry said the visit was admittedly not “easy,” he expressed his desire to share his mother’s final resting place with Meghan, writing, “At long last, I was bringing the girl of my dreams home to meet mum.”

According to Harry, Meghan took a few moments alone with her late mother-in-law during the trip, asking for “clarity and guidance” — two things he had asked for moments earlier. “When I came back, Meg was kneeling, eyes shut, palms against the stone,” he wrote.

Oval Lake underwent an extensive renovation in 2017

In 2017, Diana’s gravesite underwent a massive makeover considered the “first major revamp of the gardens in 350 years,” according to a statement on the Althorp website, per Express.

The announcement continued: “The Oval Lake where Diana, Princess of Wales, was laid to rest on September 6, 1997, is undergoing an extensive redesign to honor her memory. It will be completed in time for the 20th anniversary of her death, in August 2017.”

Rhododendrons and forget-me-nots — Diana’s favorite flower — were also re-planted at the site. “I still remember giving her some when we were children,” Charles told PEOPLE of the flower. “When I was 6, I gave her a white pot of blue forget-me-nots.”

Following the renovation, Prince Harry, Prince William, Kate, and their children, Prince George and Princess Charlotte, were included in a rededication ceremony to the late royal.

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