However, what began as a fresh start quickly turned controversial when private details about his new love’s health were allegedly leaked by his estranged ex-wife, igniting a legal battle. Take a closer look at the Earl’s divorce from his third wife and meet his much younger girlfriend.

In June 2024, the news broke that Earl Spencer and his third wife, Karen Spencer, the Countess of Spencer, were getting divorced. The couple’s 13-year marriage reportedly unraveled under the weight of personal challenges, including the strain caused by the Earl’s memoir.

The book, which recounted the harrowing abuse he endured during his boarding school years, is said to have taken a heavy emotional toll on the relationship.

The couple, who married in June 2011 on Althorp’s grounds— where Princess Diana is buried — had been introduced the previous year on a blind date in Los Angeles.

Countess Spencer, a Canadian philanthropist, had been a steady presence by the Earl’s side throughout their marriage, overseeing various projects at Althorp and supporting his public endeavors.

By late August, the Countess confirmed in an Instagram post that she was still living at Althorp, adding to the intrigue surrounding the state of their relationship.

In November, she took to Instagram again, sharing in part, “It’s been a challenging time, but also one filled with so much generosity and kindness,” offering a glimpse into the emotional complexity of the situation.

While the details of their separation remained closely guarded, the announcement marked the end of a chapter for the Earl, whose personal life has often been in the public eye.

A New Love and a Controversial Revelation

In an interview published by The Mail on Sunday on November 24, Earl Spencer opened up about finding love again with Dr. Cat Jarman, a television archaeologist. Their connection began as colleagues working on a project at Althorp.

Despite the closeness that eventually developed between them, the father of seven insisted that romance was not on his mind initially.

“[I] wasn’t looking, neither of us were,” he explained. “I am 18 years older than Cat, and so there wasn’t even the possibility. I’ve never been with a much younger person. I wasn’t even thinking romance. I was at the tail end of a marriage. It just wasn’t a possibility.”

“She found out from someone close to me — someone I don’t want to drag into this,” Dr. Jarman explained. “But in the course of a conversation about whether I had been having an affair with her husband…Karen learned that I have MS. It was also confirmed to her that this was not something that was widely known.”

“I understand that she was hurting, but why would you share private medical information like that, without consent, especially when you knew it was private — and secret? It has been the most stressful time, and with MS, you are told that it is most important to avoid stress,” Dr. Jarman stated.

Dr. Jarman explained, “I resorted to writing to the Countess, via lawyers, asking her to desist from sharing intimate details about my life. And I also asked her for a list of everyone she had told.” The Countess reportedly ignored these requests, prompting Dr. Jarman to take further legal steps.

The court documents emphasized the sensitive nature of the information, stating, “Dr. Jarman did not, at any time, provide her consent to the Countess to disclose that information to any third party or intimate anything to that effect.”

“This lack of consent should have been obvious to the Countess, given the nature of the private information and the circumstances in which it was imparted,” the court documents continued.

The Countess has signaled her intention to defend herself against the claims, setting the stage for what could become a high-profile legal battle.