|
|
|
|
Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer
|
| |
|
| |
Charles Edward Maurice Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, DL (born 20 May 1964) is the second and only surviving son of John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer and the Honourable Frances Burke Roche (later Frances Shand Kydd), daughter of the 4th Baron Fermoy. The youngest of his three older sisters was Diana, Princess of Wales; the other two are Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes.
He is one of many godchildren of Queen Elizabeth II, and was a Page of Honour from 1977 to 1979. His godfather was the Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and former politician, Sir Alexander Downer.
Discussion
Ask a question about 'Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer' Start a new discussion about 'Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer' Answer questions from other users |
Encyclopedia
Charles Edward Maurice Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, DL (born 20 May 1964) is the second and only surviving son of John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer and the Honourable Frances Burke Roche (later Frances Shand Kydd), daughter of the 4th Baron Fermoy. The youngest of his three older sisters was Diana, Princess of Wales; the other two are Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes.
He is one of many godchildren of Queen Elizabeth II, and was a Page of Honour from 1977 to 1979. His godfather was the Australian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom, and former politician, Sir Alexander Downer. On 1 November 2005, he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Northamptonshire.
First marriage
As Viscount Althorp, he married Catherine Victoria Lockwood (born 1964), a model, on 16 September 1989. Miss Lockwood was the daughter of John Lockwood. The wedding was at Church of St. Mary, Great Brington. A niece, Emily McCorquodale, was a junior bridesmaid. His nephews Prince William of Wales, Prince Henry of Wales and Alexander Fellowes (son of Lord and Lady Fellowes) were pages. Darius Guppy was the best man. Guppy was a friend at Eton College and Oxford University.
They had four children:
On the death of his father on 29 March 1992, he succeeded as 9th Earl Spencer and inherited Althorp, the family's seat in Northamptonshire. At the same time, he also became the 9th Viscount Althorp, 9th Viscount Spencer, 9th Baron Spencer of Althorp and the 4th Viscount Althorp.
The Spencer family's wealth derives from their profitable sheep farming in the Tudor era.
Lord and Lady Spencer, who had moved to Cape Town, South Africa, divorced on 3 December 1997. It was a contentious and highly publicised court case, with Lady Spencer accusing her husband of adultery. Victoria, Countess Spencer, later married Jonathan Aitken (a former fashion model, not the former Conservative MP) on 8 January 2005, by whom she had a son, Samuel, before their marriage.
Among the Earl's girlfriends was Calvin Klein fashion model Josie Borain, whom he brought to his sister Diana's funeral at Westminster Abbey. After Borain and Lord Spencer's ten-month relationship ended, however, she called him "calculating and manipulative" and described their affair as "a bad investment, a waste of good-quality-loving time".
Second marriage
Spencer moved back to the United Kingdom after his sister's death in part to oversee the family estate Althorp, and on 15 December 2001 he married Caroline Freud, née Hutton, a former nursery teacher who was previously married to Matthew Freud. Earl and Countess Spencer have two children:
- The Honourable Edmund Charles Spencer (born 6 October 2003)
- Lady Lara Caroline Spencer (born 16 March 2006)
Lady Spencer has two sons from her marriage to Matthew Freud:
- George Rupert Freud (born 3 October 1995)
- Jonah Henry Freud (born 1 April 1997)
In June 2006, Earl Spencer, according to an Australian newspaper, announced his intention to divorce his wife. Allegedly, Lady Spencer sent e-mails to family members and mutual friends stating, "The time has come when I have to ask you to choose between me and Charles. I'm afraid it is impossible for me to trust those of you who wish to side with him and you can't be with both."
On 23 March 2007, Countess Spencer, who was represented by Helen Ward of Manches, was granted a "quickie" divorce on the grounds of unreasonable behaviour. Her decree nisi was granted by District judge Kenneth White, sitting at the Principal Registry of the Family Division in central London.
Recent relationships
In December 2006 it was reported that Earl Spencer had taken up a relationship with Coleen Sullivan, a television news anchor from station WDTN in Dayton, Ohio, United States. Sullivan and Spencer met in early 2006 when she was interviewing him regarding a Dayton Art Institute exhibit honoring Diana, Princess of Wales. Sullivan broke off her engagement to Justin Allen, a television sports anchor in Tampa Bay, Florida, in October 2006, ending an 11-year relationship. Spencer and Sullivan broke up in June 2008.
Diana's death
Spencer delivered his eulogy at the funeral of his older sister Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997, and managed her interment on the Althorp estate.
He has written at least two books about his family, and has opened a museum in honour of Diana. In this museum, Diana's wedding dress and some of her personal effects are on display (on loan from her estate). Most recently, Spencer has announced other plans for the family house, such as allowing the house and estate out on rent for high-profile weddings to raise additional income needed to renovate or maintain the house.
Historian and works
Lord Spencer was educated at Eton College and obtained his degree in Modern History at Magdalen College, Oxford.
He has written these historical works:
- Althorp: the Story of an English House (1998)
- The Spencer Family (1999)
- Blenheim, Battle for Europe (2004). Paperback edition by Phoenix, 2005. ISBN 0-304-36704-4
- Prince Rupert - The Last Cavalier (2007). Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2007 ISBN 978-0-297-84610-9
His third book describes the famous Battle of Blenheim in 1704, which was won by the 1st Duke of Marlborough, one of his ancestors. It was shortlisted for History Book of the Year at the 2005 National Book Awards.
Titles from birth
- The Hon. Charles Spencer (20 May 1964 – 9 June 1975)
- Viscount Althorp (9 June 1975 – 29 March 1992)
- The Rt Hon. The Earl Spencer (29 March 1992 – present)
Ancestry
Sources
Offices held
External links
|
| |
|
|
