When Prince Harry married Meghan Markle in May, onlookers were shocked with Lady Kitty Spencer’s likeness to Lady Diana Spencer. Now, people want to know more about the 27-year-old model.
Who is Lady Kitty Spencer? Here’s what you need to know:
1. She Is a Model
Spencer is a model and admits to having a very pragmatic approach to the business. She tells Vanity Fair, “I have a relaxed attitude toward [modeling],” she says. “I appreciate that it takes me to new places and you get to dress up and wear beautiful things and live in a little bit of a fairy tale for a day.”
When it comes to style, the 27-year-old says she’s a fan of the “Mad Men” style–, particularly Betty Draper’s clothing. “I’d wear that every day if I wouldn’t get looked at strangely on the street, but it’s absolutely the style I love—just the classic, feminine 50s style.”
In 2017, Spencer made her debut modeling for Dolce & Gabana. She is currently repped by Storm Management.
2. She Studied at the University of Cape Town
Kitty Spencer attend the Laureus King Power Polo Cup at Ham Polo Club on June 16, 2016 in Richmond, England.
Spencer was born in London and grew up in South Africa. She attended the University of Cape Town, where she studied Psychology and English literature. In Florence, she spent her time studying Art History and Italian. Spencer also has a master’s degree in luxury-brand management from Regents University.
According to Vanity Fair, she was named ambassador for Centrepoint in 2016, which is an organization that supports homeless young people.
Spencer has also lived in Australia. Between 2015 and 2016, she spent a number of months working as an ambassador at racing and polo events, reports news.com.au.
Spencer’s spotlight hasn’t come without its share of controversy, though. While working for Centrepoint, she’s reporting as telling reporters that she “envied” the situation of those working at the organization.
3. Her Parents Divorced When She Was Young
GettyKitty Spencer attend the Laureus King Power Polo Cup at Ham Polo Club on June 16, 2016 in Richmond, England.
In 1997, Spencer’s parents divorced, and she and her three siblings were subsequently raised in South Africa.
It wasn’t until she was in her mid-20s that she relocated to London. Speaking to Vanity Fair, Spencer said, “I’ve never had to sacrifice one or the other because my mother’s in South Africa and my father’s [in London], so I’ve always gone between the two.”
She continued, “Now, I love being in London and it makes sense to be here, and it’s a really exciting place to be in your 20s. South Africa’s such an amazing place to grow up and have a childhood but, right now, I . . . really wanted a big city. Obviously, I’ve always felt tied to London and I’ve always felt British and a lot of my family’s here, too, so it was a logical step, one I knew I was always going to take.”
4. Princess Diana Died When Spencer Was Just Six
Kitty has admitted that she doesn’t remember too much about Diana. “I was so young [when Diana was alive]. There are only a few memories, but special memories and happy memories, and I’m so lucky to have those,” Kitty told Vanity Fair.
Upon moving to the UK and modeling there, Spencer really entered the spotlight. To date, she has 457K followers on Instagram, which you can check out here.
At the royal wedding this past May, onlookers could not help but comment on the similarity in looks between Kitty and her late aunt, Lady Diana Spencer.
5. She Doesn’t Mind Being in the Spotlight
Spencer has been upfront about her time in the spotlight. She tells Vanity Fair, “The media attention gives you the platform to speak about the things that are important to you.”
Kitty also garnered attention because of her relationship with Italian property tycoon Niccolo Barattieri. The two were together for four years before splitting in July 2017.
The Daily Mail reported that Kitty Spencer was “left heartbroken” after her breakup with Niccolo, pointing out that he had “his heart set on Liz Hurley.” “Sources say Mr Barattieri has been pursuing Ms Hurley – who is currently busy filming the TV drama The Royals – since May 5, and the evidence of his quest is clear on social media.”