Diana's Niece Lady Eliza Spencer Becomes First Family Member to Speak Out on Prince Harry's UK Return

LONDON — Lady Eliza Spencer, the niece of Princess Diana, has become the first member of Prince Harry's extended family to comment publicly on his return to Britain, offering a warm response just days after the Duke of Sussex landed back on U.K. soil with his wife, Meghan Markle, and their two children.

Speaking Wednesday to the Mirror, Spencer said she was looking forward to reconnecting with her cousin now that he is back in the country. "Absolutely, it's exciting!" she told the outlet, adding that she hoped to arrange time together with Harry and his family.

Spencer, 34, made the remarks while attending the London launch of her new rosé label, Lala V. She is the daughter of Charles Spencer, Diana's brother, making her a first cousin of Harry's on his mother's side of the family.

Her comments came hours after Harry, Meghan and their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, arrived in Birmingham on a private flight from California. The trip marks the start of what the family has described as an extended stay in the United Kingdom, with Archie and Lilibet now enrolled in school there.

The timing of Spencer's new business venture drew comparisons to Meghan's own entry into the beverage industry; the Duchess of Sussex launched a Napa Valley rosé last year through her lifestyle brand, As Ever. Asked whether she might compare notes with Meghan on winemaking now that the two would be in closer proximity, Spencer left the door open, saying simply, "Maybe!"

Spencer's public welcome stands out because it comes from a branch of the family with long-standing personal ties to Harry that have remained close even as his relationship with other relatives has grown strained. Harry has kept a close bond with his uncle, Charles Spencer, over the years, and that connection extended to a visit earlier this year, when Harry and Meghan brought Archie and Lilibet to Althorp, the Spencer family's ancestral estate and Diana's childhood home, during a trip to Britain in July. Diana is buried on the grounds. The family spent time there with Charles Spencer, his wife, Cat Jarman, and several of Diana's other relatives.

Eliza and her twin sister, Lady Amelia Spencer, have been part of Harry's life on both sides of major milestones. Both attended his 2018 wedding to Meghan at St. George's Chapel in Windsor. Eliza was 5 years old when Diana died in a car crash in Paris in August 1997.

The renewed contact with the Spencer side of the family comes as Harry, 41, and Meghan, 45, settle into a new chapter following six years based primarily in California. People familiar with the family's plans say the move has been under consideration for some time, with Harry described as having never fully adjusted to life away from Britain.

Spencer is now approaching a milestone of her own: she is engaged to longtime partner Channing Millerd, with wedding planning still in its early stages, she told the Mirror. Asked whether both Harry and his brother, Prince William, would be invited, Spencer said family members would be included on the guest list but declined to give further specifics on the ceremony.

Harry and William remain estranged, with people close to the brothers describing their relationship as still "in no contact." Harry's relocation to Britain has nonetheless prompted speculation about whether increased physical proximity could eventually create openings for the brothers to repair their relationship, though no such meeting has been confirmed.

The family's move has drawn significant attention across British media in the days since their arrival. Buckingham Palace has not issued a formal statement on the return, and representatives for Harry and Meghan have not detailed the couple's living arrangements beyond confirming the children's school enrollment.

Spencer's comments mark a notable contrast to the largely muted public response from other branches of the royal family. King Charles III, William and other senior royals have not addressed the Sussexes' return in public remarks, though royal watchers have noted that the King was informed of the couple's plans only shortly before their arrival.

For now, Spencer's welcome offers one of the clearest public signals that at least part of Harry's extended family is prepared to embrace closer ties following his years abroad. Whether that warmth extends to a broader family reconciliation remains to be seen as the Sussexes settle into their new life in the United Kingdom.