Princess Diana’s younger brother has three failed marriages behind him…
LOVE and money don’t always go hand in hand – especially if you are Earl Spencer.
Princess Diana’s younger brother has found himself at the centre of yet another bitter legal row, this time between his third wife and young lover.
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Earl Spencer has struggled to have a successful marriage over the years Credit: Getty
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His current partner Cat Jarman is 18 years his junior and they met while he was married Credit: Facebook/Cat Jarman
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He has separated from third wife Karen who is in a legal row with his new partner Credit: Getty
Charles Spencer, 60, allegedly struck up a romance with Norwegian archaeologist Cat Jarman, 42, before separating from Karen Gordon, 52, in September.
Now, the women are at loggerheads as Cat has accused her beau’s current wife of “leaking intimate secrets” which will come to a head in a High Court battle next year.
The alleged leak took place in May this year and Cat claims it caused her “distress and embarrassment”.
Cat and Charles met as they share a publisher, and she led an archaeological dig on Althorp, Northamptonshire, which happens to be the final resting place of Diana.
Charles recently confirmed their romance saying: “Cat Jarman, who is my partner now actually, but she’s a brilliant archaeologist.”
It’s not the first time Princess Diana’s brother has seen a court battle over his turbulent romances.
The aristocrat has struggled to remain faithful or in a committed relationship over the years – often finding his philandering ways getting him in trouble.
While typically it is a new romance that sounds the death quell for his marriages, this time it’s allegedly his decision to relive his life in his memoir, A Very Private School.
Horror encounters
In the personal writings, he revealed losing his virginity to a sex worker at just 12 years old to a sex worker.
Detailing his first ever sexual encounter, which he claims took place on a family holiday to Italy and cost him just £15, he claimed he was left “hollow and cold”.
Famous moment Princess Diana’s brother Earl Spencer reads a touching eulogy at her funeral – and attacks the Royal Family
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Charles claimed that he experienced sexual and physical abuse while away at school Credit: Alamy
In the memoir, he also claims he was abused by a young assistant matron at Maidwell Hall School, who would kiss or have sex with young boys of her choosing.
He wrote: “The effect of what she did to me was profound and immediate, awaking in me basic desires that had no place in one so young.”
Charles’ five years writing the harrowing book allegedly put a huge strain on his marriage to Karen and led to it collapsing.
In the book’s acknowledgements, he thanked his wife and children for their support while he was writing.
Speaking publicly about the split, he told the Daily Mail: “It is immensely sad. I just want to devote myself to all my children, and to my grandchildren and I wish Karen every happiness in the future.”
He also reflected in the book about how his boarding school upbringing affected his first two marriages.
He wrote: “I learned early in therapy that being sent away to boarding school at eight years of age meant that I had no understanding of intimacy.”
Whirlwind proposal
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He proposed to South African model Victoria after just six weeks Credit: Getty
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Prince Harry was a pageboy at their wedding in 1989 Credit: Getty
Charles’ first marriage to South African model Victoria Lockwood ended in a bitter court battle, with his ex accusing him of 12 separate affairs.
The couple, who married in September 1989, had known each other just six weeks before the aristocrat got down on one knee and proposed.
He popped the question with a bizarre heart-shaped ring with a crown on top.
At the time, Victoria was described by Ralph Lauren, as, “the most beautiful woman in the world,” in Tatler Magazine.
Prince Harry was a page boy at their society wedding and bride Victoria wore the Spencer tiara that Princess Diana wore on her wedding day in 1981.
Their marriage produced four children, Kitty, 34, twins Eliza and Amelia, 32, and son Louis, 30.
In 1995, the family moved to South Africa to get away from the media, but just three years later their marriage had come to an end.
Affair accusations
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Charles’ first divorce was the same year his sister died in a car accident Credit: Rex
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Charles was alleged to have tried to seduce Patricia, his wife’s best friend Credit: Alamy
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He missed his daughter Kitty’s wedding and the marraige of her sister Amelia
They bitterly split in 1997, the same year Charles’ sister Diana died in a car crash in Paris.
Court documents from the divorce show Victoria accused him of being a serial adulterer, whose unfaithfulness began less than six months into their 1989 marriage.
He denied the claims.
The model also claimed he was a “vicious” and “callous” husband during their married life.
Another issue in their eight-year marriage was Victoria’s substance abuse issues – which she has been in recovery from.
The Spencer family
Charles Spencer is the younger brother of Princess Diana. His other siblings are Lady Sarah McCorquodale, Jane Fellowes, and John Spencer.
From his first marriage to Victoria Lockwood he has children Kitty, twins Eliza and Amelia and son Louis.
He has a granddaughter by Kitty.
Charles wasn’t at Kitty or Amelia’s weddings, and is said to have a “cool” relationship with the girls.
His second marriage to Caroline, produced Ned and Lara and his third marriage to Karen produced a daughter, Charlotte.
Charles is the Uncle to Prince Harry and Prince William through his sister. He had vowed to be there for the boys after their mother’s death but the relationship is said to be distant.
He did attend Harry’s wedding to Meghan Markle.
In 2004, Victoria told Hello magazine: “There are no holidays from this illness.
“The price of freedom is constant vigilance, I attend recovery meetings every week and I will do so for the rest of my life.”
It appears his soured relationship with his first wife Victoria has impacted on his children, as he wasn’t present at the weddings of either Kitty and Amelia in 2021 and 2023.
He claimed his relationship with his daughters had “cooled”.
Years later, it was alleged that Charles had attempted to seduce Patricia, the wife of his best friend Darius Guppy’ while still married to Victoria.
He has always denied the claim.
But it did lead to a fight between the former best pals when Patricia spilled the beans in 2006.
Walked out
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Caroline was said to be heartbroken after her husband walked Credit: Reuters
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The Earl was linked to US TV presenter Coleen Sullivan (right) Credit: Rex
After the divorce was settled in 1997, he moved on with Caroline Freud and married her in 2001.
They had two children, Ned, 21, and Lara, 18.
Just four months after welcoming their daughter, the couple split as Charles was allegedly unfaithful.
He is said to have walked out one night in April 2006, leaving the PR executive devastated.
At the time, a source claimed: “Caroline is heartbroken. She was shattered by his decision to up and leave.
“And let’s not forget they have two young children.”
He gets bored with a woman the moment he realises he has total control over her.
A source
Their six-year marriage allegedly came crashing down as he was linked to US TV presenter Coleen Sullivan – who he met when she came to the UK to interview him about his sister Diana.
She was said to hold hopes to become the third Mrs Spencer, but their relationship only lasted 18 months before she was kicked to the curb.
He had captured Coleen’s heart the way he’d nabbed his former wives, a pal claims.
“Charles attracts women by displaying a certain vulnerability – something of a little boy lost. It’s real, not phoney,” one of his oldest friends told the Daily Mail.
“But he gets bored with a woman the moment he realises he has total control over her.
“It is not a pretty characteristic, but there it is. I’m sure it goes back to his childhood, when his mother ran off with another man.
“He loves the chase of women, and seducing them, but he can be ruthless with them.”
‘Control freak’
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Charles was briefly engaged to Lady Eliot Credit: Matrix
The Earl’s next conquest was Bianca, Lady Eliot, a widowed aristocrat.
She even made it to fiancee status, getting engaged with a diamond and emerald ring.
But six months after the proposal, she was thrown out as Charles allegedly realised it would all end in tears.
His side claimed it was all amicable, but Lady Eliot’s supporters claimed to the Daily Mail that Charles had been a “control freak” who would “constantly ring to check up on” her.
Another claimed: “They were due to marry in London this month, but the wedding has been called off after a series of rows and heated exchanges.”
Undeterred by two failed marriages, a broken engagement and a failed long-term relationship, Charles entered into a third marriage in 2011 to Karen Gordon.
While the couple managed 13 seemingly happy years together, which saw their daughter Charlotte, 12, born in 2012, it hit a rather nasty end.
Perhaps his romance with Nordic Cat will see him finally get a happier ending.
