Earl Charles Spencer appeared to snub his daughter's engagement party amid their reported family rift.
Princess Diana's niece, Lady Eliza Spencer, launched her wedding celebrations with an elegant rooftop gathering in Cape Town, surrounded by her closest loved ones.
The 33-year-old model marked her upcoming marriage to South African businessman Channing Millerd at the intimate affair.
The event brought together 50 guests, which she described on Instagram as "the people we love most".
Earl Charles Spencer snubs his daughter's engagement party amid family rift
|GETTY / INSTAGRAM: ELIZA SPENCER
Her mother, former model Victoria Aitken, joined the festivities alongside her sisters Lady Kitty and Lady Amelia Spencer, with the bride-to-be radiating joy as she displayed her stunning engagement ring in photographs shared on social media.
The celebration took place in the South African city where the Spencer sisters spent their childhood, making it a particularly meaningful location for the family gathering.
However, one prominent family member was missing from the joyous occasion.
Earl Spencer, Princess Diana's brother, did not attend the engagement party.
Victoria Aitken and Eliza Spencer pictured at her engagement party
|INSTAGRAM: ELIZA SPENCER
The 60-year-old failed to appear at Lady Kitty's Italian wedding to retail millionaire Michael Lewis in 2021, nor did he attend Lady Amelia's mountaintop ceremony in Stellenbosch when she married lifestyle coach Greg Mallett in 2023.
Reports of a family rift have circulated since Kitty's nuptials, with sources suggesting the relationship between Charles and his children cooled following his 2011 marriage to his third wife, Karen.
The earl, who regularly shares updates from Althorp House on social media, has not publicly acknowledged Eliza's engagement, remaining silent while other family members posted congratulatory messages beneath her Instagram photographs.
For the celebration, Lady Eliza chose a bespoke white gown adorned with floral appliqué, created by Belarusian designer Galia Lahav, which she complemented with matching satin heels.
Charles, Earl Spencer, with Amelia Spencer, Kitty Spencer, and Eliza Spencer at the 10th Anniversary Memorial Service for Diana in 2007
|GETTY
Her eldest sister Kitty, a Dolce & Gabbana ambassador, opted for a vibrant printed co-ord featuring a crop top and skirt from the Italian fashion house, while twin Amelia selected a sage-green Zimmerman dress.
The evening's photographs captured tender moments, including the bride-to-be dancing in her fiancé's arms as guests toasted the couple's happiness.
A particularly touching image showed Eliza sharing an affectionate moment with her half-brother, Samuel Aitken, gently placing her hand on his cheek.
Mr Millerd's parents, Carey and Heather Millerd, were also present, with the groom-to-be appearing entirely at ease among his future in-laws.
Earl Charles Spencer pictured with his children in 2000 | GETTYThe couple's romance began nearly a decade ago when they were introduced at a dinner party in South Africa by Amelia's now-husband, Mr Mallett, with Eliza later revealing she had been "dragged" to the event by her sister.
Mr Millerd proposed during a sunset dinner overlooking the sea in Santorini last July, presenting a 2.5-carat pear-shaped diamond mined in South Africa, valued at approximately £40,000.
The ring's halo setting echoes that of Princess Diana's famous sapphire engagement ring, paying tribute to Eliza's late aunt.
Speaking to Tatler about the proposal, Lady Eliza said: "I laughed, and I cried. I don't know how he pulled it all off, but it was so special."
The couple are now planning a destination wedding, with Cape Town and Lake Como both under consideration.