The former home of Princess Diana‘s stepmother Countess Raine Spencer has gone up for sale for £8.5 million.

The Countess, who was the daughter of romantic novelist Dame Barbara Cartland, married Gerald Legge in 1948, and the couple used the two bedroom apartment at 47 Grosvenor Square.

The 5th floor apartment, which is provides 2,145 sqft of living space, is currently a ‘blank canvas’ and ’empty shell’ in need of substantial refurbishment.

Estate agency Wetherell commissioned Casa e Progetti, the award-winning luxury design studio, to create a portfolio of CGI interior images to show buyers how the apartment could look once modernised.

Peter Wetherell, Founder and Executive Chairman of Wetherell, estimated it would cost £10.5 million to renovate the space, adding: ‘With its iconic address and garden square views, this Mayfair apartment at 47 Grosvenor Square provides a discerning buyer with a unique opportunity to buy a blank canvas shell unit and refurbish and modernise the property to create a beautiful new residence.

The former home of Princess Diana's stepmother Countess Raine Spencer has gone up for sale for £8.5 million
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The former home of Princess Diana’s stepmother Countess Raine Spencer has gone up for sale for £8.5 million

‘Once refurbished and interior designed, the apartment would serve as an excellent long-term investment and London residence.’

To give buyers an understanding of how the interiors could be transformed into a magnificent new residence Wetherell commissioned Casa e Progetti, the award-winning luxury design studio which specialises in state-of-the-art virtual staging and cutting-edge computer-generated imagery, to create a floorplan.

Peter explained: ‘Casa e Progetti is available to assist the buyer with floorplan concepts, CGI visualisation, specification and interior design.’

Raine married three titled aristocrats, her first husband was the Hon. Gerald Legge, later the 9th Earl of Dartmouth, her second John Spencer, the 8th Earl Spencer, and finally Count Jean-Francois Pineton de Chambrun.

A magisterial recent biography of Raine Spencer entitled Three Times A Countess by author Tina Gaudoin reviews Raine’s remarkable life and times.

The couple had five staff to help run their lives in Mayfair and Raine gave Gerald two sons, William in 1949 and Rupert in 1951.

Raine adored entertaining and illustrious guests at their dinner parties included Viscount Furness, Lady Pamela Mountbatten, Mrs Reginald Vanderbilt and the Marchioness of Douro.

The couple also had high profile neighbours, the most famous being the owners of the gigantic 1st floor apartment at 47 Grosvenor Square socialite Artemis Onassis, the sister of billionaire Aristotle Onassis, and her husband Theodore Garoufalidis, the President of Olympic Airways.

When Raine became a Westminster City Councillor in 1955, she used 47 Grosvenor Square apartment as her office and political base.

The 5th floor apartment provides 2,145 sqft of living space, is currently a 'blank canvas' in need of substantial refurbishment and modernisation
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The 5th floor apartment provides 2,145 sqft of living space, is currently a ‘blank canvas’ in need of substantial refurbishment and modernisation

Peter Wetherell, Founder & Executive Chairman of Wetherell, estimated it would cost £10.5 million to renovate the space and shared images of how the interiors could be transformed into a magnificent new residence
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Peter Wetherell, Founder & Executive Chairman of Wetherell, estimated it would cost £10.5 million to renovate the space and shared images of how the interiors could be transformed into a magnificent new residence

The apartment would offer two bedroom suites, both with dressing areas and luxurious ensuite bathrooms
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The apartment would offer two bedroom suites, both with dressing areas and luxurious ensuite bathrooms

The remodelled apartment would have a triple reception room, spanning the entire width of the apartment, with four tall sash windows offering views over Grosvenor Square
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The remodelled apartment would have a triple reception room, spanning the entire width of the apartment, with four tall sash windows offering views over Grosvenor Square

Raine eventually divorced Gerald but Mayfair remained her home.

When she married her second husband John Spencer in 1976, one of her first acts was to persuade her new husband to buy a first floor apartment in adjacent 48 Grosvenor Square.

After the death of Earl Spencer, Raine moved first to a home on Farm Street in Mayfair, then to furnished suites at 35-37 Grosvenor Square, and finally to a townhouse off Chelsea green.

Now the apartment at 47 Grosvenor Square where Raine lived during her Countess Dartmouth years is for sale.

Despite its illustrious history, the property is currently an empty shell.

A luxury design studio created a portfolio of stunning CGI interior images to show buyers how the apartment could look once refurbished and modernised
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A luxury design studio created a portfolio of stunning CGI interior images to show buyers how the apartment could look once refurbished and modernised

While the space is currently a shell, the design studio reimagined the dining area with trendy furnishings and upholstery


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While the space is currently a shell, the design studio reimagined the dining area with trendy furnishings and upholstery

Using the signature techniques of Raine Spencer's favourite interior designer David Hicks as inspiration, Casa e Progetti have used CGI technology to create a series of stunning rooms and dressed interior concepts for the new apartment.
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Using the signature techniques of Raine Spencer’s favourite interior designer David Hicks as inspiration, Casa e Progetti have used CGI technology to create a series of stunning rooms and dressed interior concepts for the new apartment.

Using the signature techniques of Raine Spencer’s favourite interior designer David Hicks as inspiration – Hicks was noted for using bold colours, modern furnishings and contemporary artwork – Casa e Progetti have used CGI technology to create a series of stunning rooms and dressed interior concepts for the new apartment.

Offering two bedroom suites, both with dressing areas and luxurious ensuite bathrooms, the remodelled apartment would have a triple reception room, spanning the entire width of the apartment, with four tall sash windows offering views over Grosvenor Square.

Accessed by a spacious entrance lobby with bespoke-design parquet flooring the triple reception room provides two separate living areas, and a large 6-8 seat dining area with a built-in cocktail bar.

The bold green and orange colours of the dining area a homage to the adjacent garden square and David Hicks.

To the rear of the apartment are the two stylish bedroom suites. The principal bedroom suite has a curved bay window with living area and a dressing/make up area behind the main bedroom.

The spacious family kitchen and breakfast room has a separate pantry and utility room (pictured)
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The spacious family kitchen and breakfast room has a separate pantry and utility room (pictured)

From the kitchen there is a separate back-of-house staff corridor which connects the kitchen to the entrance lobby to assist staff circulation and hospitality provision
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From the kitchen there is a separate back-of-house staff corridor which connects the kitchen to the entrance lobby to assist staff circulation and hospitality provision

The principal bedroom suite has a curved bay window with living area and a dressing/make up area behind the main bedroom
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The principal bedroom suite has a curved bay window with living area and a dressing/make up area behind the main bedroom

'With its iconic address and garden square views this Mayfair apartment at 47 Grosvenor Square provides a discerning buyer with a unique opportunity to buy a blank canvas shell unit
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‘With its iconic address and garden square views this Mayfair apartment at 47 Grosvenor Square provides a discerning buyer with a unique opportunity to buy a blank canvas shell unit

The principal suite includes a walk-in dressing room and a luxurious ensuite bathroom.

The second bedroom suite is lined with wardrobes incorporating a built-in make up area and has a ensuite bathroom.

The spacious family kitchen/breakfast room has a separate pantry/utility room. From the kitchen there is a separate back-of-house staff corridor which connects the kitchen to the entrance lobby to assist staff circulation and hospitality provision.

Wetherell and Casa e Progetti calculate that the apartment could cost up to £1.5 million to refurbish, modernise and dress, with the completed dressed apartment being worth up to £10.5 million.