Victoria Aitken
Encyclopedia
Victoria Aitken, née
Lockwood (born 1965) is a British
former fashion model and the first wife of Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer
, the younger brother of Diana, Princess of Wales
.
in 1989. The pair had known each other for six weeks prior to becoming engaged. The wedding, conducted by Archbishop of Canterbury
, Robert Runcie
, was an elaborate affair, with Lord Althorp's nephew Prince Harry of Wales
as a pageboy. Lord Althorp succeeded his father as Earl Spencer in 1992, at which point Victoria became Countess Spencer. They have four children:
She suffered from eating disorders, drug and alcohol abuse during her marriage. The couple moved with their four children to South Africa
in 1995 to avoid the media. The marriage fell apart after of string of revelations of affairs by Earl Spencer and ended in divorce in 1997. The divorce proceedings were conducted in South African courts, where Victoria was granted a £1.8 million settlement.
Spencer returned to take charge of the family's Althorp
estate, while Victoria remained and raised the children in the wealthy Cape Town
suburb of Constantia
.
After the breakup, Victoria had a four-year relationship with pharmacist Guy Wood, which ended in 2002. Her battle with addiction continued well after the marriage, and she attended weekly recovery meetings to prevent relapses. She also worked as a part-time counsellor in a Cape Town drug and alcohol recovery clinic.
Jonathan Aitken relapsed into addiction in 2009, and the couple split. Following the end of her second marriage, Victoria began a relationship with James Clinch, a British former lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, of the Queen's Regiment. Aitken claimed Victoria's involvement with Clinch had led to the breakup of their marriage. Clinch accused Aitken of threatening to kill him, and applied for a restraining order. In return, Aitken launched a £250,000 damages claim against Clinch for breaking up his marriage.
Victoria's relationship with Clinch is reportedly over.
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Lockwood (born 1965) is a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
former fashion model and the first wife of Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer
Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer
Charles Edward Maurice Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, DL , styled Viscount Althorp between 1975 and 1992, is a British peer and brother of Diana, Princess of Wales...
, the younger 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...
.
Biography
She was born Catherine Victoria Lockwood in 1965 and worked as a fashion model.First marriage
Victoria Lockwood married Charles Spencer, Viscount AlthorpCharles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer
Charles Edward Maurice Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, DL , styled Viscount Althorp between 1975 and 1992, is a British peer and brother of Diana, Princess of Wales...
in 1989. The pair had known each other for six weeks prior to becoming engaged. The wedding, conducted by Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
, Robert Runcie
Robert Runcie
Robert Alexander Kennedy Runcie, Baron Runcie, PC, MC was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1980 to 1991.-Early life:...
, was an elaborate affair, with Lord Althorp's nephew 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...
as a pageboy. Lord Althorp succeeded his father as Earl Spencer in 1992, at which point Victoria became Countess Spencer. They have four children:
- Lady Kitty Eleanor SpencerLady Kitty SpencerThe Lady Kitty Eleanor Spencer is the eldest daughter of Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer and his first wife, Victoria Lockwood. She is a niece of Diana, Princess of Wales.-Biography:...
, born 28 December 1990 - 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 - Lady Katya Amelia Spencer, born 10 July 1992
- 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.
She suffered from eating disorders, drug and alcohol abuse during her marriage. The couple moved with their four children to 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...
in 1995 to avoid the media. The marriage fell apart after of string of revelations of affairs by Earl Spencer and ended in divorce in 1997. The divorce proceedings were conducted in South African courts, where Victoria was granted a £1.8 million settlement.
Spencer returned to take charge of the family's 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:...
estate, while Victoria remained and raised the children in the wealthy 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...
suburb of Constantia
Constantia, Cape Town
Constantia is an affluent suburb of Cape Town, South Africa, situated about 15 kilometres south of the centre of Cape Town. The Constantia Valley lies to the east of and at the foot of the Constantiaberg mountain. Constantia Nek is a low pass linking to Hout Bay in the west.-History:Constantia is...
.
After the breakup, Victoria had a four-year relationship with pharmacist Guy Wood, which ended in 2002. Her battle with addiction continued well after the marriage, and she attended weekly recovery meetings to prevent relapses. She also worked as a part-time counsellor in a Cape Town drug and alcohol recovery clinic.
Second marriage
She then began a relationship with ex-model Jonathan Aitken, which resulted in the birth of her fifth child, Samuel in 2003. She reportedly credited Aitken, a former addict himself, with helping to get her own life back on track. They married in 2005.Jonathan Aitken relapsed into addiction in 2009, and the couple split. Following the end of her second marriage, Victoria began a relationship with James Clinch, a British former lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, of the Queen's Regiment. Aitken claimed Victoria's involvement with Clinch had led to the breakup of their marriage. Clinch accused Aitken of threatening to kill him, and applied for a restraining order. In return, Aitken launched a £250,000 damages claim against Clinch for breaking up his marriage.
Victoria's relationship with Clinch is reportedly over.
Titles and styles
- Miss Catherine Victoria Lockwood (1965 – 1989)
- Viscountess Althorp (1989 – 1992)
- The Rt. Hon. The Countess Spencer (1992 – 1997)
- Victoria, Countess Spencer (1997 – 2005)
- Mrs Victoria Aitken (2005 – present)