“My son Ned, 21, is doing very well in his DJ career. Next destination: Durham!” Although he “hates” techno according to his younger brother, Charles Spencer is nonetheless proud of himself. This November 13, 2024, he wanted to share with his some 135,000 subscribers on the social network X (formerly Twitter) the path taken by the Honorable Edmund Spencer a few years ago. In addition to his studies in management specializing in events at Oxford Brookes – the university he joined in 2022 – the 21-year-old mixes whenever he can. At student parties, in clubs or festivals. During the summer of 2024, Ned Spencer, as those close to him call him, will perform on the Jägermeister stage at the Parklife Festival in Manchester, in Boomtown and Reading.
Inspired by “the sounds of Berlin” and a fan of underground music, the DJ “[veut] not use anyone’s name [son] profit”, he confided in last July’s edition of the British magazine Tatler. “It’s a question of morality,” he adds. Indeed, Ned Spencer does not belong to just any English family: his father is the 9th Earl Spencer and resides in their home in Althorp in Northamptonshire, his aunt is the late Lady Diana, his cousins the Prince of Wales and the Duke of Sussex. “I try to keep who I am under the radar. Obviously, it’s difficult. And I can’t really stop the in-depth conversations and people from digging,” admits Charles Spencer’s youngest son.
A legacy that can be heavy to carry when you are 21 years old. But Viscount Althorp’s brother likes to think “that most people know nothing about [sa] family.” “I want them to treat me for what I am, simply Ned,” he explains in the columns of Tatler. In addition to his studies and DJ activities, he has worked part-time for Labyrinth Events since April 2023. “Labyrinth showcases the labels, artists and communities that we believe are pushing the boundaries of dance music contemporary. Through this, we organize events that allow artists to showcase their talents in the most interesting way possible,” writes Ned Spencer on his LinkedIn profile.
A DJ can hide another
Since September 2023, he has also been both DJ and event organizer for De La Disco in Oxford. On September 25, he met at Plush Oxford, in the heart of the city, to mix during a De La Disco evening. “Over the past two years, Ned has played regularly at several London clubs such as Corsica Studios, B London and Ministry of Sound, some of which as a headliner. After a busy summer, he continued to progress in the industry. Don’t miss it!”, we can read on the Instagram account of the evening.
This November 22, he will make his debut in Durham during a DJ set at the Angel Inn. Evening after evening, he finds his own place in the world of the night and sees his work rewarded. “I like to think that if I am here, it is thanks to me. I worked very hard. Almost too much,” he confesses to the magazine Tatler. Could he one day decide to turn Althorp’s ancestral home into a festival? “No, that will not happen,” he categorically responds to our colleagues at Tatler. “I don’t want people to think that I got to a certain position because of a lucky family. If I were to organize a festival, it certainly wouldn’t be in Althorp,” he adds. Ned Spencer repeats: he only wants to owe his success to himself and not because his father is the former brother-in-law of King Charles III or because his cousin is the heir to the British throne.
Ned Spencer is not the only DJ among those close to Prince William. Indeed, Cassius Taylor, the grandson of the Duke of Kent, exercises this same profession. With his friend Harry Illsley, the 27-year-old also launched Telltale in 2022, whose “objective is to help brands and agents in the fields of music, art and fashion realize their vision , through creative direction, campaigning, and on-site, in-person management.” Not forgetting DJ sets. In 2014, during a visit to a community music center for young people in Adelaide, Australia, Prince William tried his hand at the turntables. Could he repeat the experience one day? Between Ned Spencer and Cassius Taylor, the Prince of Wales has the best teachers.
