Charles Spencer

Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, is a British nobleman, author and journalist known as the younger brother of Princess Diana. He grew up at Althorp, the Spencer family estate in Northamptonshire. He has dedicated much of his life to preserving the estate, which also serves as the resting place of his sister, Diana.

Initially focusing on journalism, Spencer worked as a correspondent for NBC News from 1986 to 1995 and later hosted the documentary series Great Houses of the World. He is also an author, with several books on history, including Althorp: The Story of an English House. He established the Althorp Literary Festival in 2003, gathering prominent authors and speakers together.

Spencer’s first marriage was to Victoria Lockwood in 1989, and they had four children: Lady Kitty Eleanor (born in December 1990), twins Lady Eliza Victoria and Lady Amelia (born in July 1992) and Louis, Viscount Althorp (born in March 1994). After their divorce in 1997, he married Caroline Freud from 2001 to 2007, with whom he had two children, The Honourable Edmund (born October 2003) and Lady Lara (born in March 2006). He was later married to philanthropist Karen Gordon in 2011, and they got divorced in 2024.

Spencer confirmed his relationship with archaeologist Cat Jarman in October 2024. The couple cohost the podcast The Rabbit Hole Detectives, exploring historical mysteries. Jarman is also a specialist in Viking archaeology, and she has also collaborated with Spencer on archaeological projects at Althorp.