Earl Spencer, the brother of the late Diana, Princess of Wales, has married for the fourth time during an exclusive weekend ceremony hosted in Arizona. The prominent British peer wed Norwegian archaeologist and bestselling historical author Professor Cat Jarman in a private setting on Friday. The couple formally confirmed their union through a joint public statement, marking a fresh domestic chapter for the corporate head of the Spencer ancestral lineage.
The low-key international exchange marks the culmination of a high-profile relationship that began two years ago.
The newlywed couple expressed immense gratitude regarding their transition from professional broadcasting colleagues to a deep romantic partnership underpinned by mutual laughter. The initial introduction occurred when the sixty-one-year-old Earl was requested to review Jarman`s 2021 non-fiction bestseller regarding Viking history. As an established historian who has authored nine individual literary volumes, Spencer provided a positive assessment of the work, initializing a shared academic bond. Their professional collaboration soon extended to active archaeological field research and joint media production efforts.
In 2021, the forty-four-year-old professor directed extensive excavations at the Spencer family`s ancestral Althorp estate, locating the subterranean foundations of an ancient Roman villa for a major documentary network. Alongside the Reverend Richard Coles, the couple subsequently launched the widely successful history broadcast "The Rabbit Hole Detectives," which eventually led to a joint trivia publication. Jarman`s extensive contributions to European historical research resulted in her selection as the Nordic Person of the Year for 2024. The prestigious regional accolade is typically reserved for prominent international composers and global cultural diplomats.
However, the path toward the altar was previously complicated by complex civil litigation within the jurisdiction of the British High Court. Professor Jarman initiated legal action against the Earl’s third wife, Countess Karen Spencer, asserting the unlawful misuse of confidential personal data. The civil complaint alleged that the Countess had systematically distributed Jarman`s private multiple sclerosis diagnosis to corporate peers and mutual associates without authorization. The legal dispute was eventually resolved out of court last year under a confidential settlement framework with no formal admission of structural liability.
The Earl’s prior domestic history includes a highly publicized 1989 marriage to fashion model Victoria Lockwood, which resulted in four children before concluding in a 1997 South African divorce. Spencer later wed Oxford University associate Caroline Freud in 2001, separate paths emerging five years later after producing two children. His third marriage to Karen Villeneuve yielded one daughter before their recent administrative dissolution. Professor Jarman shares two sons with her former husband, Tom Jarman, and the extended blended family is now establishing a quiet lifestyle balancing European media productions with quiet intervals across the American Southwest.
