A building on Princess Diana's childhood estate has been targeted in an apparent arson attack

Earl Spencer wrote on his Instagram Story: "Stunned to learn that one of @AlthorpHouse's farmhouses - fortunately, unoccupied at the time - was apparently burnt down by vandals last night.

"Sincere thanks to @northantsfire for trying to save it."

He added on X: "So very sad that anyone would think this a fun thing to do."

In a statement to PEOPLE magazine, Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service clarified: "The fire was at land on the Althorp estate in Mill Lane, Kingsthorpe, Northampton, rather than at Althorp House."

Diana died aged 36 in a car crash in August 1997, and her final resting place is a private island at the centre of the estate's Oval Lake.

Long-standing gamekeeper Adey Greeno has revealed some details about the fallout of the apparent attack.

He wrote on X: "The farmhouse that we lost to a deliberate act of vandalism last night has now had to be razed to the ground for safety reasons.

"So sad. The world we live in."

The Rev. Richard Coles is among those to offer kind words to the family, as he told Earl Spencer: "That's awful, sorry to hear it."

The stately home and its 13,000 acre estate has been in the family's seat since the 16th century, and was the childhood home of Diana and the earl, as well as their siblings Lady Jane Fellows, 68, and Lady Sarah McCorquodale, 70.

The estate is still Earl Spencer's home to this day, and soon after his sister's death he opened up on the family's decision to bury Diana in the middle of the Oval Lake.

He wrote in his 1998 book 'Althorp': "We all agreed that, with its beauty and tranquility, this was the place for Diana to be."