Prince William scolded his country’s paparazzi after they recently chased him and his commoner girlfriend, Kate Middleton, through the streets of South Kensington. Only his souped-up Range Rover and deft manner behind the wheel were enough to elude the photographers this time around.

“Threatening behaviour,” the prince said.

A palace spokesman wasted no time reminding everyone how Will’s mother died in a similar car chase 10 years ago. In fact, last week Britain’s Royal Courts of Justice began an official inquest into the 1997 death of Princess Diana in Paris.

The idea is that a jury will search for hard evidence pointing to exactly how she died, and by doing so either confirm or negate suspicions that her father-in-law, Prince Philip, ordered up the unfortunate “accident” in a manner worthy of Tony Soprano.

Ten years have passed, but it seems Britons are angrier than ever by the untimely death of Princess Diana. Which might lead one to wonder how the angriest Briton of them all is coping a decade on.

That distinction, of course, goes to Charles, the 9th Earl Spencer, who is Diana’s younger brother. He lambasted the Royal Family at her funeral service and pledged publicly that he would help make sure her two sons would grow up to become the types of men that she had envisioned, i.e., not like Prince Charles.

So how is Mr. Spencer dealing with the reopening of old wounds caused by the current court inquest? The answer is: profitably, thank you very much.

Mr. Spencer recently came to New York to unveil an exquisite collection of furniture based on the most remarkable pieces in Althorp, his ancestral home. Set in the southern English countryside, Althorp has been the Spencer seat for five centuries, and the 300-acre estate is where Diana is buried.

For his part, Mr. Spencer made no mention of Diana during his remarks to guests at a wine and cheese reception at ABC Carpet & Home in Union Square. Instead, he spoke of the costs involved in keeping up a 500-year-old house and how proceeds from the sale of the reproductions would help defray many of those expenses.

Mr. Spencer is an extremely charming and charismatic man. He wooed the ABC guests with boyhood tales of searching for a gold sovereign that his father had placed in one of a chest’s 100 drawers. Incidentally, the reproduction of that very chest can be yours for just $14,000.00.

“Last week in Houston, a large Texan bought two of them on the spot,” the earl said.

He then told the assembled group — mainly consisting of Park Avenue matrons — that he would sign the back of any piece of furniture if, like the rich Texan, they bought it that very evening.

For socially ambitious Americans, the Althorp Collection is a sure-fire way to go from nouveau riche to old money in the time it takes to swipe a credit card at ABC Carpet & Home. The pieces themselves are beautifully wrought. And with 350 items, there are enough of them (I counted eight desks alone) to furnish the largest of uptown pads.

As the cocktail party continued, the earl spoke of heritage, duty, and posterity. Out came the credit cards as the store’s staff began wrapping the floor models up for delivery that very night. He unsheathed a black Sharpie and autographed as many consoles, cabinets, and dining tables as time would allow. The recent stop at the Broadway store was his last in a lucrative two-week tour of major American cities.

In Britain, Diana’s sons are complaining about the intrusive members of the press as the start of the inquest dredges up the past. Maybe William and Harry should take a cue from their uncle.

Americans are snapping up the Althorp Collection at fine retail outlets across the country. The earl is using the profits to restore his estate and, no doubt, to fund future deals and licensing arrangements based on his now-famous name.

Living well, it seems, is the best revenge after all.

Mr. Akasie contributes to The New York Sun.