Princess Diana’s younger brother, Earl Spencer, has married his fourth wife, a woman nearly two decades younger, less than one year after his bitter divorce spilled into public view.
The 61-year-old aristocrat, whose full name is Charles Edward Maurice Spencer, married 43-year-old Cat Jarman, an archaeologist and professor, during a private ceremony in Arizona on May 15, according to People.
Photos from the wedding appeared to show Sedona’s iconic Cathedral Rock in the background as the couple celebrated with a small and intimate gathering.
For many royal watchers, however, the wedding arrives after months of headlines surrounding the earl’s divorce, his new relationship and a bitter legal dispute that played out publicly.
Divorced three times
Charles, the 9th Earl Spencer and younger brother of the late Princess Diana, was previously married to Victoria Lockwood from 1989 to 1997, Caroline Freud from 2001 to 2007, and Karen Gordon from 2011 until their divorce was finalized in 2025.
The royal, who is the paternal uncle of Prince William and Harry, shares a daughter, Charlotte Diana, with Karen. He is also the father of six other children from his previous marriages.
The couple announced their split in June 2024, but headlines surrounding the breakup quickly intensified after reports surfaced that Charles had entered a relationship with Jarman, who would later become his fourth wife.
As Charles’ relationship with Jarman became public, tensions surrounding the split with the countess escalated into a highly publicized dispute involving Jarman’s private medical information.
Ex battles with Charles’ new lover
According to reports, while investigating rumors that the earl’s and the future countess were having an affair during their marriage, Karen discovered her husband’s new lover was living with multiple sclerosis and shared the diagnosis with the press.
Jarman then filed a lawsuit against Karen over the alleged misuse of private information, though few details about the legal action were publicly available at the time.
“As someone living with Multiple Sclerosis, I have the unquestionable right to decide when and how to share such sensitive details,” Jarman said in a statement shared by People in December 2025 – the same month Charles finalized his divorce with Karen. “Pursuing the claim was a necessary and principled step to protect that right, as well as my career and livelihood. The matter has now been resolved after the other party chose to settle the claim, and I regard that outcome as a clear vindication of my decision to take action.”
The case was settled after Karen “accepted an offer to bring the litigation to an end ‘without admission of unlawful conduct,’” People reported.
Despite the headlines, Charles and Jarman – 18 years his junior – continued to appear professionally together while gradually making their relationship more public.
‘Brings out the best in me’
Long before wedding photos surfaced from Arizona, Charles and the Norwegian archaeologist first connected through their work.
Charles, an author and historian who has written several books, was asked to review Jarman’s 2021 nonfiction bestseller “River Kings,” which explored Viking history and archaeology.
From there, the two stayed connected through archaeological projects and later became co-hosts of the podcast, The Rabbit Hole Detectives before confirming their relationship had turned romantic in the fall of 2024.
“Cat is completely different to anyone I have been with before,” Charles told the Daily Mail in November 2024. “With her I don’t pretend to be anything I am not. She knows exactly who I am – and who I am not. She brings out the best in me.”
Far from the royal spotlight
Unlike many ceremonies tied to Britain’s most famous families, Charles and Jarman’s wedding was intentionally low-key. See photos here!
The couple chose Arizona rather than England for the ceremony, keeping details limited and avoiding much of the media attention that has often followed Charles’ personal life over the years.
For their nuptials, Jarman carried a bouquet of white roses and wore a pale blue sleeveless Grecian-inspired gown, while Charles opted for a dark suit paired with an open-collar light blue shirt for the intimate ceremony.
“We both feel so incredibly lucky to have progressed from being colleagues, to friendship, to deep love and connection,” the couple said in a joint statement shared with People. “Each stage of our relationship has been underpinned by laughter and we share a passion for life.”
Later, Jarman made a personal announcement on social media where she shared a gallery of photos from her wedding day.
“15 May 2026 – the happiest day ever,” the new bride captioned the Facebook post. “’A circle that can’t be broken,’ Love you endlessly.”
What do you think of this new couple? Please share your best wishes for the new couple in the comments below, then pass this story along so others can do the same!
READ MORE
- “Reign Check” Podcast: Inside the headlines of the British Royal Family
- Exclusive photo of Princess Diana as a young girl is shared by her brother
