Who Is Prince Harry's Uncle Charles, Earl Spencer?
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's wedding served as a reunion for both sides of the groom's family. According to Vanity Fair, “the entire Spencer clan” was invited to the celebration, including not only his aunts Lady Sarah McCorquodale and Lady Jane Fellowes and cousins, but also his uncle, Earl Spencer, who just arrived at Windsor Castle.
"Harry has always kept in close touch with the Spencers and they have all received invitations," the magazine's source revealed. "Harry gets on well with his aunts and uncle and they have met Meghan."
Here's what you need to know about Charles Spencer.
He is the 9th Earl of Spencer.
Charles inherited the title when his father passed away in 1992. His other titles include 9th Viscount Althorp, 9th Viscount Spencer of Althorp, 9th Baron Spencer of Althorp, and 4th Viscount Althorp.
He is Princess Diana's younger brother.
Earl Charles Spencer is the youngest child in his family. He has three older sisters, Princess Diana, Lady Sarah McCorquodale, and Lady Jane Fellowes.
His godmother is Queen Elizabeth.
Diana isn't Earl Spencer's only connection to the royal family. His godmother is the Queen herself.
He's been married multiple times.
He divorced his first wife, Victoria Aitken in 1997, and his second wife Caroline Freud in 2007. He is currently married to Karen Countess Spencer. They tied the knot in 2011.
In total, he has seven children, all of whom are reportedly invited to the royal wedding. "His cousins all have the golden ticket—an invite to the ceremony and reception and the evening party," a source told Vanity Fair.
He owns Althorp.
The 500-year-old estate in Northamptonshire, England is the final resting place of Princess Diana. On the 20th anniversary of her death, Diana's family rededicated the grave, which sits on an island in the middle of a lake.
"She’s obviously a much-loved part of it and from outside of the immediate family, she’ll always be a relevant part of the story of Althorp—and somebody we are incredibly proud of," he said.
His eulogy at Princess Diana's funeral was controversial.
The 9th Earl of Spencer reportedly angered the royal family with lines like "someone with a natural nobility who was classless and who proved in the last year that she needed no royal title to continue to generate her particular brand of magic" and "I pledge that we, your blood family, will do all we can to continue the imaginative and loving way in which you were steering these two exceptional young men so that their souls are not simply immersed by duty and tradition, but can sing openly as you planned."
But that rift has started to heal in recent years. Read his full speech here.
On the 20th anniversary of Diana's death, Spencer spoke publicly about the tragedy.
“One of the great tragedies is that Diana would have been the best grandmother ever,” he told People. He also shared his thoughts from the days after her death.
"I was furious, I wasn’t just angry," he said. "[I thought] what could I have done. But you always think, God, I wish I could’ve protected her. It was just…it was devastating."
He is a noted author and has also worked as a television reporter.
According to the Althorp website, "for a decade he was a reporter for the American television network, NBC news," specifically, he was a reporter on the Today show from 1986 until 1995. He's also written numerous books about his family's history, including Sunday Times bestsellers Blenheim: Battle for Europe, Prince Rupert: The Last Cavalier, Killers of the King, and To Catch A King: Charles II’s Great Escape. Spencer is involved in several charitable organizations including Whole Child International, which his wife Karen founded.
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