A woman accused of stalking Earl Spencer by sending handwritten letters and repeatedly visiting his ancestral home has appeared in court. Marinela Atomei pleaded not guilty to a charge of stalking the Earl, 61, who is the younger brother of the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
Allegations of Stalking
She is accused of repeatedly visiting Althorp House in Northamptonshire, which has been home to the Spencer family for over 500 years, and seeking to access his home to meet him. It is alleged that in October 2025 she sent an email claiming to be an art historian and seeking to obtain access to the library at Althorp.
Atomei, 44, from Atherstone in Warwickshire, was granted conditional bail at Warwick Crown Court, with her trial scheduled for April next year. She spoke only to confirm her name and to plead not guilty to a single charge brought under the 1997 Protection from Harassment Act.
Details of the Charge
The extensive charge alleges that Atomei stalked the Earl by visiting Althorp House on numerous occasions when it was open to the public in July and August 2025. Judge Sylvia de Bertodano granted an application for the Earl to give evidence from behind a screen at the trial.
Princess Diana is buried on a private island in the grounds of Althorp, near the village of Great Brington, and the estate was one of her childhood homes. Prosecutors allege Atomei stalked the Earl between July last year and February this year, causing him serious alarm or distress which had a substantial adverse effect on his usual day-to-day activities.
The detail of the charge read to Atomei by the court clerk further alleges that she made numerous posts on social media about the Earl and Althorp House, and contacted the stately home by email in January 2026 seeking to arrange to collaborate on a project with Charles Edward Maurice Spencer, the Earl's full name.
On January 17 this year, the court heard, she is alleged to have attended Althorp uninvited, gaining access to the grounds and attempting to gain access to the House. She is also alleged to have returned to Althorp two weeks later to attempt to personally deliver a letter and a package to Earl Spencer.
Bail Conditions and Next Steps
Atomei's bail conditions include an instruction not to enter Northamptonshire and monitoring through an electronic tag. Adjourning the case for a pre-trial review on October 5 this year, the judge told Atomei: 'You have heard what's happened today – you have pleaded not guilty and I have set a trial date for the 19th of April next year.'
The judge added that Atomei would have to provide a defence case statement before the next hearing. A previous hearing was told Atomei is Romanian but has lived in the UK for more than 10 years.
