Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer
Encyclopedia
Charles Edward Maurice Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, DL
(born 20 May 1964), styled Viscount Althorp between 1975 and 1992, is a British
peer
and brother of Diana, Princess of Wales
. He is an author, print journalist and broadcaster.
from 1986 to 1995, primarily for the network's signature morning program, Today, and NBC Nightly News
. He wrote and presented the 12-part documentary series, "Great Houses of the World" (1994–1995) for NBC Super Channel. He also worked a reporter for Granada Television
from 1991 to 1993. For the print media, Spencer has written several book reviews for The Guardian
and The Independent on Sunday. He has also written feature stories for The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph
, The Sunday Telegraph and for American publications such as Vanity Fair, Verandah and Nest.
On the death of his father on 29 March 1992, Spencer, at the age of 27, succeeded as 9th Earl Spencer
, 9th Viscount Althorp, 9th Viscount Spencer of Althorp, 9th Baron Spencer of Althorp and 4th Viscount Althorp. He also inherited Althorp
, the family's ancestral seat in Northamptonshire
. Since 2009, he has restored Althorp, re-roofing it and restoring its entire exterior for the first time since the 1780s. He has also helped establish Althorp Living History, a handmade, fine furniture line reproducing pieces from the collection at Althorp. The Spencer family's wealth derived from their profitable sheep farming in the Tudor
era.
On 31 August 1997, Diana died
after a car crash in Paris
and the Earl delivered the eulogy at her funeral
service held at Westminster Abbey
six days later. In his eulogy he rebuked both Britain's royal family
and the press for their treatment of his sister.
Diana was buried on the Earl's ancestral estate, Althorp, where he built a mausoleum and a museum to Diana's memory, displaying her wedding dress and other personal effects. The museum was thrown open to the paying public in 1998 with all profits going to Diana's Memorial Fund, also set up by the Earl.
At this stage, the Earl began writing a series of books dealing with the estate itself and with his family history, being:
In 2003, the Earl founded the Althorp Literary Festival. Speakers at the annual event have included the authors Bill Bryson
, Helen Fielding
, Antonia Fraser
and Boris Johnson
.
In 2004, he presented two documentaries for the History Channel on Blenheim: Battle for Europe. He contributed a chapter to British Military Greats, published by Cassell in 2005. He also contributed two of the 100 chapters of The Art of War: great commanders of the modern world, published by Quercus in 2009.
On 1 November 2005, the Earl was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
of Northamptonshire
. This is a reflection of his family's long association with county in which the family seat, Althorp, lies. The Earl was President and is currently Patron of the Northamptonshire County Cricket Club
.
The Earl has also interested himself in charitable and humanitarian causes. He has been a Patron of the Friends of Cynthia Spencer Hospice in Northampton, England, since 1989. He was a Patron of the Lifeline and Childline
charities in Western Cape
, South Africa from 1997 to 2000. He has served as a Trustee of Nelson Mandela Children's Fund
since 1998.
In July 2011 he became one of the Patrons of Northampton Hope Centre a local homeless charity in Northampton.
of Lord Althorp, married (Catherine) Victoria Lockwood
(b. 1965), a model
. The wedding was held at the Church of St Mary, Great Brington
, and Darius Guppy
was the best man. Two nieces, Emily McCorquodale and The Hon. Eleanor Fellowes, were bridesmaids. Two of his nephews, Prince Harry of Wales
and The Hon. Alexander Fellowes (son of Lord
and Lady Fellowes), were pages. Spencer and Lockwood, who had moved to Cape Town
, South Africa
, were divorced on 3 December 1997. Diana's death occurred while the divorce case was in progress; shortly after his divorce, the Earl moved back to England
. Earl Spencer has four children by Victoria Lockwood, three daughters and one son:
On 15 December 2001, he married Caroline Freud (née Hutton), who worked in public relations before becoming a part-time teacher. Earl Spencer has two children by Caroline, from whom he separated in 2007 and since divorced:
Spencer had a broken engagement
in 2010.
Charles Spencer married Canadian philanthropist
Karen Gordon
, the founder and chief executive of Whole Child International
, a Los Angeles-based charity which works to improve the lot of orphaned, abandoned, or abused children. on 18 June 2011 at Althorp House.
The Earl resides at his ancestral seat, Althorp House.
Lord Spencer attended the wedding of his nephew and niece-in-law, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Westminster Abbey
on 29 April 2011.
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(born 20 May 1964), styled Viscount Althorp between 1975 and 1992, is a British
British people
The British are citizens of the United Kingdom, of the Isle of Man, any of the Channel Islands, or of any of the British overseas territories, and their descendants...
peer
Peerage of the United Kingdom
The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801, when it replaced the Peerage of Great Britain...
and brother of Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales
Diana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
. He is an author, print journalist and broadcaster.
Career
Spencer worked as an on-air correspondent with NBC NewsNBC News
NBC News is the news division of American television network NBC. It first started broadcasting in February 21, 1940. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is...
from 1986 to 1995, primarily for the network's signature morning program, Today, and NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News
NBC Nightly News is the flagship daily evening television news program for NBC News and broadcasts. NBC Nightly News has aired from Studio 3B, located on floors 3 of the NBC Studios is the headquarters of the GE Building forms the centerpiece of 30th Rockefeller Center it is located in the center...
. He wrote and presented the 12-part documentary series, "Great Houses of the World" (1994–1995) for NBC Super Channel. He also worked a reporter for Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
from 1991 to 1993. For the print media, Spencer has written several book reviews for The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
and The Independent on Sunday. He has also written feature stories for The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, The Sunday Telegraph and for American publications such as Vanity Fair, Verandah and Nest.
On the death of his father on 29 March 1992, Spencer, at the age of 27, succeeded as 9th Earl Spencer
Earl Spencer
Earl Spencer is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain that was created on 1 November 1765, along with the title Viscount Althorp, of Althorp in the County of Northamptonshire, for John Spencer, 1st Viscount Spencer, a great-grandson of the 1st Duke of Marlborough...
, 9th Viscount Althorp, 9th Viscount Spencer of Althorp, 9th Baron Spencer of Althorp and 4th Viscount Althorp. He also inherited Althorp
Althorp
Althorp is a country estate of about and a stately home in Northamptonshire, England. It is about north-west of the county town of Northampton. The late Diana, Princess of Wales is buried in the estate.-History:...
, the family's ancestral seat in Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
. Since 2009, he has restored Althorp, re-roofing it and restoring its entire exterior for the first time since the 1780s. He has also helped establish Althorp Living History, a handmade, fine furniture line reproducing pieces from the collection at Althorp. The Spencer family's wealth derived from their profitable sheep farming in the Tudor
Tudor dynasty
The Tudor dynasty or House of Tudor was a European royal house of Welsh origin that ruled the Kingdom of England and its realms, including the Lordship of Ireland, later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1485 until 1603. Its first monarch was Henry Tudor, a descendant through his mother of a legitimised...
era.
On 31 August 1997, Diana died
Death of Diana, Princess of Wales
On 31 August 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales, died as a result of injuries sustained in a car accident in the Pont de l'Alma road tunnel in Paris, France. Her companion, Dodi Fayed, and the driver of the Mercedes-Benz W140, Henri Paul, were pronounced dead at the scene of the accident. Fayed's...
after a car crash in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
and the Earl delivered the eulogy at her funeral
Funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales
The public funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales started on September 6, 1997 at 9:08 am in London, when the tenor bell sounded to signal the departure of the cortege from Kensington Palace. The coffin was carried from the palace on a gun carriage, along Hyde Park to St. James' Palace, where...
service held at Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
six days later. In his eulogy he rebuked both Britain's royal family
Royal family
A royal family is the extended family of a king or queen regnant. The term imperial family appropriately describes the extended family of an emperor or empress, while the terms "ducal family", "grand ducal family" or "princely family" are more appropriate to describe the relatives of a reigning...
and the press for their treatment of his sister.
Diana was buried on the Earl's ancestral estate, Althorp, where he built a mausoleum and a museum to Diana's memory, displaying her wedding dress and other personal effects. The museum was thrown open to the paying public in 1998 with all profits going to Diana's Memorial Fund, also set up by the Earl.
At this stage, the Earl began writing a series of books dealing with the estate itself and with his family history, being:
- AlthorpAlthorpAlthorp is a country estate of about and a stately home in Northamptonshire, England. It is about north-west of the county town of Northampton. The late Diana, Princess of Wales is buried in the estate.-History:...
: the Story of an English House (1998) London: Viking. - The Spencers: a Personal History of an English Family (2000).
- Blenheim, Battle for Europe (2004). Paperback edition by Phoenix, 2005. ISBN 0-304-36704-4. This book was shortlisted for "History Book of the Year" at the 2005 National Book Awards.
- Prince Rupert — The Last Cavalier (2007). London: Weidenfeld & Nicolson ISBN 978-0-297-84610-9.
In 2003, the Earl founded the Althorp Literary Festival. Speakers at the annual event have included the authors Bill Bryson
Bill Bryson
William McGuire "Bill" Bryson, OBE, is a best-selling American author of humorous books on travel, as well as books on the English language and on science. Born an American, he was a resident of Britain for most of his adult life before moving back to the US in 1995...
, Helen Fielding
Helen Fielding
Helen Fielding is an English novelist and screenwriter, best known as the creator of the fictional character Bridget Jones, a sequence of novels and films that chronicle the life of a thirtysomething single woman in London as she tries to make sense of life and love.Her novels Bridget Jones's...
, Antonia Fraser
Antonia Fraser
Lady Antonia Margaret Caroline Fraser, DBE , née Pakenham, is an Anglo-Irish author of history, novels, biographies and detective fiction, best known as Antonia Fraser...
and Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British journalist and Conservative Party politician, who has been the elected Mayor of London since 2008...
.
In 2004, he presented two documentaries for the History Channel on Blenheim: Battle for Europe. He contributed a chapter to British Military Greats, published by Cassell in 2005. He also contributed two of the 100 chapters of The Art of War: great commanders of the modern world, published by Quercus in 2009.
On 1 November 2005, the Earl was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire is a landlocked county in the English East Midlands, with a population of 629,676 as at the 2001 census. It has boundaries with the ceremonial counties of Warwickshire to the west, Leicestershire and Rutland to the north, Cambridgeshire to the east, Bedfordshire to the south-east,...
. This is a reflection of his family's long association with county in which the family seat, Althorp, lies. The Earl was President and is currently Patron of the Northamptonshire County Cricket Club
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the...
.
The Earl has also interested himself in charitable and humanitarian causes. He has been a Patron of the Friends of Cynthia Spencer Hospice in Northampton, England, since 1989. He was a Patron of the Lifeline and Childline
ChildLine
ChildLine is a free 24 hour counselling service for children and young people up to 18 in the UK provided by the NSPCC. ChildLine deals with any issue which causes distress or concern, common issues dealt with include child abuse, bullying, parental separation or divorce, pregnancy and substance...
charities in Western Cape
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
, South Africa from 1997 to 2000. He has served as a Trustee of Nelson Mandela Children's Fund
Nelson Mandela Children's Fund
The Nelson Mandela Children's Fund is a charitable organization founded by Nelson Mandela, based in South Africa. Its mission is to help individuals from birth to age 22, particularly orphans of the AIDS crisis.-History:...
since 1998.
In July 2011 he became one of the Patrons of Northampton Hope Centre a local homeless charity in Northampton.
Personal life
On 16 September 1989, Spencer, then known by the courtesy titleCourtesy title
A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of nobility used for children, former wives and other close relatives of a peer. These styles are used 'by courtesy' in the sense that the relatives do not themselves hold substantive titles...
of Lord Althorp, married (Catherine) Victoria Lockwood
Victoria Aitken
Victoria Aitken, née Lockwood is a British former fashion model and the first wife of Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, the younger brother of Diana, Princess of Wales.-Biography:...
(b. 1965), a model
Model (person)
A model , sometimes called a mannequin, is a person who is employed to display, advertise and promote commercial products or to serve as a subject of works of art....
. The wedding was held at the Church of St Mary, Great Brington
Great Brington
Great Brington is a village in the Daventry district of the county of Northamptonshire, England. The village, in the civil parish of Brington, has a population of about 200. The parish church is dedicated to St Mary the Virgin and St John....
, and Darius Guppy
Darius Guppy
Darius 'Darry' Guppy is a British-Iranian businessman who, together with Benedict Marsh, was convicted of fraud, theft and false accounting in February 1993...
was the best man. Two nieces, Emily McCorquodale and The Hon. Eleanor Fellowes, were bridesmaids. Two of his nephews, Prince Harry of Wales
Prince Harry of Wales
Prince Henry of Wales , commonly known as Prince Harry, is the younger son of Charles, Prince of Wales and the late Diana, Princess of Wales, and fourth grandchild of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
and The Hon. Alexander Fellowes (son of Lord
Robert Fellowes, Baron Fellowes
Robert Fellowes, Baron Fellowes, GCB, GCVO, QSO, PC is a former Private Secretary to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 1990–1999, and is also known as a brother-in-law of Diana, Princess of Wales.-Family background:...
and Lady Fellowes), were pages. Spencer and Lockwood, who had moved to Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, were divorced on 3 December 1997. Diana's death occurred while the divorce case was in progress; shortly after his divorce, the Earl moved back to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Earl Spencer has four children by Victoria Lockwood, three daughters and one son:
- Lady Kitty Eleanor Spencer, born 28 December 1990 (age 21);
- Lady Eliza Victoria SpencerLady Eliza SpencerThe Lady Eliza Victoria Spencer is the second daughter of Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer and his first wife, Victoria Lockwood. She is a niece of Diana, Princess of Wales and the cousin of Prince William, Duke of Cambridge and Prince Harry of Wales...
, born 10 July 1992 (age 19); - Lady (Katya) Amelia Spencer, born 10 July 1992 (age 19);
- Louis Frederick John Spencer, Viscount AlthorpLouis Spencer, Viscount AlthorpLouis Frederick John Spencer, Viscount Althorp is the son of Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, and Victoria Lockwood.He is also the heir apparent to the earldom of his father, which will make him by then "Louis Spencer, 10th Earl Spencer". He is the nephew of Diana, Princess of Wales, and the...
, born 14 March 1994 (age 17), and heir to the earldom.
On 15 December 2001, he married Caroline Freud (née Hutton), who worked in public relations before becoming a part-time teacher. Earl Spencer has two children by Caroline, from whom he separated in 2007 and since divorced:
- The Hon. Edmund Charles Spencer, born 6 October 2003 (age 8);
- Lady Lara Caroline Spencer, born 16 March 2006 (age 5).
Spencer had a broken engagement
Engagement
An engagement or betrothal is a promise to marry, and also the period of time between proposal and marriage which may be lengthy or trivial. During this period, a couple is said to be betrothed, affianced, engaged to be married, or simply engaged...
in 2010.
Charles Spencer married Canadian philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
Karen Gordon
Karen Gordon
Karen Spencer, Countess Spencer , also known as Karen Gordon, is a Canadian social entrepreneur and former model...
, the founder and chief executive of Whole Child International
Whole Child International
Whole Child International is a U.S.-based non-governmental organization founded in 2004. Whole Child focuses on improving the quality of care for vulnerable children worldwide by working within childcare institutions and orphanages....
, a Los Angeles-based charity which works to improve the lot of orphaned, abandoned, or abused children. on 18 June 2011 at Althorp House.
The Earl resides at his ancestral seat, Althorp House.
Lord Spencer attended the wedding of his nephew and niece-in-law, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge at Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
on 29 April 2011.
Titles from birth
- The Honourable Charles Spencer (20 May 1964 – 9 June 1975)
- Viscount Althorp (9 June 1975 - 29 March 1992)
- The Right Honourable The Earl Spencer (29 March 1992 - present)
Ancestry
Sources
- Diana: Her True Story, written by Andrew MortonAndrew Morton (writer)Andrew David Morton is a former British Fleet Street journalist, a notable writer and biographer.Before moving into a career in journalism, he attended grammar school, then studied history at the University of Sussex....
- Two works by Lady Colin CampbellLady Colin CampbellLady Colin Campbell, , is a British writer, biographer, autobiographer, novelist, television and radio personality, known for her biography of Diana, Princess of Wales, The Real Diana, as well as other books on the Royal Family and the international elite.Campbell was born in Jamaica, the child of...
: Diana in Private and Royal Marriages - The Peerage
- The obituaries for the 8th Earl SpencerEdward Spencer, 8th Earl SpencerEdward John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer MVO , styled Viscount Althorp until 1975, was a British peer and the father of Diana, Princess of Wales.-Education and military career:...
, Diana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of WalesDiana, Princess of Wales was the first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales, whom she married on 29 July 1981, and an international charity and fundraising figure, as well as a preeminent celebrity of the late 20th century...
and Frances Shand KyddFrances Shand KyddFrances Ruth Shand Kydd was the first wife of John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer and the mother of Diana, Princess of Wales...
in The TimesThe TimesThe Times is a British daily national newspaper, first published in London in 1785 under the title The Daily Universal Register . The Times and its sister paper The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, a subsidiary since 1981 of News International...
.