Lady Amelia Spencer and Lady Eliza Spencer On Fashion, Family, and Finally Stepping Into the Spotlight

It’s a good time to be Lady Amelia Spencer and Lady Eliza Spencer. The sisters are fresh from a walk down the Cannes Film Festival red carpet, are becoming front-row regulars at Fashion Week, and have recently been named the new faces of Aspinal of London. Perhaps it seems like it’s always been a good time to be the Spencer sisters. After all, they’re not only striking blonde twins, but also the nieces of the late Princess Diana—their father is Earl Charles Spencer, the princess’s younger brother. But it’s only recently that the sisters, raised largely out of the spotlight, have chosen to step into public life. They view it, strikingly, as a career rather than a birthright.

“The lines between our personal and professional lives are a little blurred, but we get so much pleasure from work at the moment,” Eliza tells W exclusively. It’s a rare interview for the twins, who have only begun speaking to the media in recent years.

While the twins were born in the United Kingdom, their family moved to Cape Town, South Africa, in 1995, when they were just three years old. As Tatler put it, the move was to escape “the media attention that the Spencer name attracted”—a logical decision during the height of Princess Diana’s fame.

They returned to live in London in 2021, and both their personal and professional lives have shifted quickly since. Amelia married Greg Mallett on March 21, 2023, and Eliza says that “marriage is definitely on the cards” with her partner of nine years, Channing Millerd.

“I think the last year or two have been some of the best years we’ve ever had,” Amelia says. “Since moving to London, we’ve had the most incredible lives and experiences. Life is full and exciting for us right now.”

We’re speaking as the twins are on set for one of their many upcoming projects. They’ve also just debuted a new campaign for Aspinal of London, an accessories brand favored by royals including Kate Middleton, Princess Beatrice, Princess Eugenie, and Zara Tindall. “The shoot itself was such an unforgettable experience,” Amelia says. “The energy on set was amazing.” The styling was inspired by Brigitte Bardot and 1960s elegance—“timeless glamour,” Amelia notes. “It was something we haven’t done before, and we’re excited for everyone to see.” It means something to the sisters that Aspinal is, in Eliza’s words, “such an iconic British brand.”

Beyond their beauty, talent, and royal lineage, what truly sets Amelia and Eliza apart is their bond as a duo.

“We’re quite shy people naturally, and having each other for such big moments like red carpets or campaigns—and just having my biggest, and I think Eliza’s biggest, support system there constantly—it’s so comforting,” Amelia says. “So it’s a safety net and empowering. We encourage each other. We know how each other is feeling. If one’s not having the best day, we lift each other up, we work together.” If one sister feels nervous, the other gets strong for both of them, she says, slipping into a kind of “protection mode... you push all your fear aside, pretend you’re really confident, and become stronger to lift up the other.”

For red carpet appearances, the twins have learned to complement each other’s style without looking too matchy-matchy. They take turns making the final decision. “It comes quite naturally to us since our style and taste are so incredibly similar,” says Amelia. “In fact, we usually end up choosing the exact same looks.” She notes that Cannes “was actually the first time we decided to wear the same outfit, but in different colors.” Their black and white gowns were designed by Vera Wang Bride x Pronovias.

Despite appearances, the sisters were told at birth in 1992 that they weren’t identical. A genetic test taken in 2024 confirmed that they are, in fact, identical twins—something that, Eliza says, “does make a difference.” “Obviously we’re very close, but there’s something about just knowing—and maybe it’s just because we knew in our hearts and it was confirmed and we’re like, ‘Okay, it all makes sense.’”

“We are so lucky,” Eliza says of their bond. “There’s not a day that goes by that we don’t realize that. And I think our twin bond is truly indescribable. Obviously, we’ve shared this connection since before we entered the world, and it goes beyond words. We look at each other, we know exactly what we’re thinking. We’re identical inside and out. We almost feel like we’re soulmates.” She adds that their connection makes both of them hope for twins of their own someday.

When Eliza marries, she’ll follow in the footsteps of their older sister Kitty, who famously wore five custom Dolce & Gabbana gowns in 2021. For her own wedding in 2023, Amelia took Eliza with her to Donatella Versace’s home in Milan to design her dress. “Growing up in South Africa, that would not even cross my mind as a possibility,” Amelia says. “It’s something I will never forget.”

Their off-duty fashion is far more relaxed. While Eliza says it’s exciting to get glammed up and experiment with different looks, “where my heart lies—and this is maybe from being brought up in Cape Town—is very relaxed. So jeans and a shirt or jeans and a T-shirt or activewear is my go-to.”

“I always like to dress with elegance and a timeless look for events,” Eliza adds, “but day-to-day I can go completely opposite to what I did the day before. My closet has 100 personalities, and I quite like that.”

“I think we’ve simply learned through experience what works for us and what makes us feel comfortable,” Amelia says. “And for us, we feel comfort is key.” Though they’re spending more time on red carpets now, “we are a lot more homebodies than people realize,” Amelia says. “We’re obviously seen at all these events, and we’re so lucky and our life is amazing—we couldn’t be more grateful—but in between, we are very much homebodies.” She adds, “I think the simple things really do make us the happiest.”

What’s next for the sisters as they enter their 33rd year? Expanding into the beauty and makeup space. Eliza says they’re “looking forward to working with more beauty brands that align with our values and style.”

“I think we have big dreams going forward,” she continues. “We are really happy with how things are going, and we’re just keen to establish ourselves further and work with brands on a more global scale.” Amelia agrees. “It’s been an amazing few years,” she says. “And this, I think, is by far the most exciting one yet—and it’s just a dream.”