Princess Diana’s Brother Reveals ‘Immensely Sad’ News

Amid the sprawling grounds of Althorp, the Spencer family estate in Northamptonshire, England, a significant family controversy has unfolded. Charles Spencer and his third wife have announced their decision to divorce. The breaking down of his marriage to the Countess of Spencer comes as he grapples with the emotional aftermath of writing his memoir.

The couple shared the news of their impending separation with their staff this past March. “It is immensely sad,” Charles said to the Mail on Sunday over the weekend. “I just want to devote myself to all my children, and to my grandchildren, and I wish Karen every happiness in the future.” In his memoir, he detailed his harrowing experiences of physical and sexual abuse during his time at boarding school.

Spencer revealed to the MoS that the five-year process of writing the memoir took a significant toll on him, culminating in his decision to seek residential treatment for trauma in the latter part of last year. Charles is the 9th Earl Spencer and a member of the British nobility. He is perhaps best known publicly as the younger brother of Diana, Princess of Wales, making him the uncle of Princes William and Harry.

LOS ANGELES, CA – September 16, 2017: Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, & wife Karen Spencer, Countess Spencer at the BAFTA Los Angeles BBC America TV Tea Party 2017 at The Beverly Hilton Hotel

Spencer’s first marriage was to Victoria Lockwood, a model, in 1989. The ceremony took place at Althorp, the Spencer family estate. The couple had four children together. However, their marriage faced difficulties including Lockwood’s battles with addiction and an eating disorder. They eventually divorced in 1997 after a highly publicized court case that took place in South Africa, where Lockwood was in rehabilitation.

Spencer’s second marriage was to Caroline Freud, née Hutton, formerly married to Matthew Freud, in 2001. They had two children together, Edmund Charles Spencer and Lady Lara Spencer. The marriage also ended in divorce in 2007.

London, UK. 6th September 1997. Editorial – The funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales. Walking behind the coffin are Prince Charles, Princes William & Harry and Earl Charles Spencer.

Spencer married Karen Gordon (also known as Karen Villeneuve), a Canadian philanthropist, on June 18, 2011, at Althorp. The date was significant as it would have been the 50th birthday of his late sister Diana. Karen and Charles have one daughter, Lady Charlotte Diana Spencer, named in honor of his sister.

Born in 1964, Charles has been involved in various professional pursuits, primarily as a writer and a broadcaster. He has authored several historical books, with a particular focus on the Stuart period of British history and other significant events and figures in British history.

Educated at Eton College and later at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he studied Modern History, Spencer has a deep-rooted interest in the past that has significantly influenced his career. He often appears in television documentaries to discuss historical topics and royal matters. Charles has also been in charge of the Spencer family estate, Althorp, which is the final resting place of his sister, Princess Diana. He has overseen the estate’s management and its opening to the public, including curating exhibitions about his sister to commemorate her life and legacy.