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Faye Bradley

Contributing Online Editor, Style by SCMP


Charles Spencer, the brother of the late Princess Diana, has made headlines recently with the claim that King Charles III said she, his ex-wife, would soon be forgotten after her death in a 1997 car accident in Paris.

In his book Swan Song: Diana, My Sister, due to be published next week, Spencer claims then-Prince Charles told him: “Rest assured, we’ll forget her soon enough.” He also accuses Charles of having “contempt” for his ex-wife and of sounding “elated” after her death.

While Buckingham Palace has refuted the claims, saying grief can “colour memory in ways others do not recognise” in an unusually robust statement, the death and troubled married life of Princess Diana have once again been thrust back into the spotlight.
Attention has turned to the earl himself, with his complicated family life now news fodder. Spencer’s turbulent relationships have themselves made headlines over the years, most recently when he wed his fourth wife – 18 years his junior – earlier this year.

Spencer’s new bride, Catrine “Cat” Spencer (née Jarman), 44, whom he wed this May, had lodged a claim against his then-wife Karen Spencer over the “misuse of private information” in October 2024. The lawsuit was settled in late 2025, per People.
Here’s what we know about Earl Spencer’s new wife.
What is Catrine Spencer’s background?

Dr Cat Spencer holds a PhD in archaeology and specialises in the Vikings. According to her Academia profile, she advises on the development of the Museum of the Viking Age in Oslo, set to open in November 2027, “providing research and written texts as background for creating the museum’s new exhibits and online content”. She is also a freelance author and historical consultant for television and media.
How did she meet Charles Spencer?

The couple reportedly met while she was searching for the remains of an ancient Roman villa on Althorp’s grounds for a Channel 4 documentary, according to The Telegraph. Spencer confirmed they were dating when he told The Times in October 2024 that they “are close”.
They officially tied the knot in a private ceremony in Arizona in May this year. The 62-year-old earl took to Instagram to announce the news and shared a carousel of wedding photos. “15 May 2026 – the happiest day ever”, he wrote. “A very close friend said to me, months ago: ‘The thing about Cat is, she’d want to be with you if you lived in a hut. Little did I know she’d also be happy to marry me in a desert,”’ he continued.
Charles Spencer has been married four times. Besides Catrine and Karen, he also wed Victoria Aitken and Caroline Freud (formerly Caroline Hutton before she married Matthew Freud). He reportedly has seven children in total, including glamorous socialite daughters Lady Kitty Spencer and twins Lady Amelia and Lady Eliza Spencer.
They host a history podcast together

Spencer and Catrine co-host the podcast The Rabbit Hole Detectives with Reverend Richard Coles, where they “chase the provenance of historical objects both real and metaphorical”, per Apple Podcasts. However, it’s unclear whether they still run this, as the most recent episode was posted over a year ago in April 2025.
Catrine and Karen’s legal dispute

In October 2024, Catrine sued Karen for “alleged misuse of private information” regarding her multiple sclerosis diagnosis. Karen fired back two months later, accusing her ex-husband and Catrine of having an affair since 2022 and launching a “bullying campaign” against her. In December 2025, a spokesperson for Karen shared a statement with People announcing that she and Catrine had settled their legal battle.
“Countess Spencer confirms that the legal proceedings brought against her by Cat Jarman have been resolved in an agreed settlement,” the statement read. “There was no admission of liability or wrongdoing, and Earl Spencer has been ordered to pay the legal costs, which are expected to be in excess of £2m [US$2.6 million] together with £4,500 [US$6,000] in damages to be paid to his girlfriend Cat Jarman.”
With additional reporting by AP


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King Charles III

Charles Spencer married his fourth wife, Catrine Spencer, in May this year. Photo: @charles.earl.spencer/Instagram

Princess Diana and then-Prince Charles in 1981. Photo: EPA

The cover of Charles Spencer’s book Swan Song: Diana, My Sister. Photo: Handout

Catrine Spencer is an archaeologist. Photo: @profcatspencer/Instagram

Cat Spencer is a Viking Age expert. Photo: @profcatspencer/Instagram

Charles Spencer and Catrine Spencer tied the knot in May this year. Photo: @charles.earl.spencer/instagram

Charles and Cat Spencer have hosted a podcast together. Photo: @charles.earl.spencer/Instagram

Charles Spencer and Karen Spencer were married from 2011 to 2025. Photo: Getty Images

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Tamaki Osaka applauds during the third-round singles match between her daughter, Naomi Osaka, and Belgium’s Elise Mertens at the US Open on September 5. Photo: AFP

Naomi Osaka with her parents, Leonard Francois and Tamaki Osaka, at the Osaka Foundation benefit at Le Rock in New York City on August 21. Photo: Getty Images

Naomi Osaka and her mother, Tamaki Osaka, at the 2023 US Open Tennis Championships in New York. Photo: Getty Images

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Ella Langley celebrates her 27th birthday in May with her family. Photo: @ellalangleymusic/Instagram

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(From left) Gigi Hadid, Dean DiCriscio and Francesca Aiello at an event for Frankies Bikinis in 2022. Photo: @francescaaiello/Instagram

Francesca Aiello in a bikini set in June, sporting what appears to be her engagement ring. Photo: @francescaaiello/Instagram

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Dragon years include 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012 and 2024. Illustration: SCMP Graphics

Snake years include 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013 and 2025. Illustration: SCMP Graphics

Horse years include 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014 and 2026. Illustration: SCMP Graphics

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The earl, whose memoir Swan Song: Diana, My Sister publishes next week, married the archaeologist earlier in May


The earl, whose memoir Swan Song: Diana, My Sister publishes next week, married the archaeologist earlier in May.


Meet Catrine Spencer, the 4th wife of Princess Diana’s brother Charles Spencer

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}The earl, whose memoir Swan Song: Diana, My Sister publishes next week, married the archaeologist earlier in May

The earl, whose memoir Swan Song: Diana, My Sister publishes next week, married the archaeologist earlier in May