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Charles Spencer has issued an emotional statement to mark what would have been his and Princess Diana's mother's 90th birthday, just hours before Prince Harry testified in court. The brother of the late Princess of Wales took to his official Instagram account on Tuesday, January 20, to post a throwback sepia photograph of Frances Shand Kydd, who died in 2004, aged 68.

He said the photograph was taken by his father, the eighth Earl Spencer, John, when she was "young and happy, and glamorous in a very understated way". He talked about the eulogy he gave at her funeral in 2004 and said that she found "great comfort" in Roman Catholicism during her last years. The Earl wrote: "90 years ago today, my mother was born. She died far too young, in 2004, aged 68.

"I gave the eulogy at her funeral - recalling all the joy she brought and gave; as well as reflecting on the terrible ordeal she had to endure, burying two of her children.

"During her last years, she found great comfort after converting to Roman Catholicism. Until her health gave out, she would help take very unwell children on pilgrimage to Lourdes.

"I love this photograph of her, taken by my father, when she was young and happy, and glamorous in a very understated way.

"My mother's was a home birth in Park House, on the Sandringham estate, where we also grew up. Coincidentally on the very same day she was born - 20 January 1936 - King George V died, 1 mile away, in Sandringham House."

It came hours before Charles's nephew, the Duke of Sussex, gave evidence in court for his trial against the Daily Mail's publisher.

Harry, Sir Elton John and his husband, David Furnish, campaigner Baroness Doreen Lawrence, politician Sir Simon Hughes, and actresses Sadie Frost and Liz Hurley are all bringing legal action against ANL over allegations of unlawful information gathering.

ANL has strongly denied wrongdoing and is defending the claims.