A wedding in the sand plains of Arizona isn’t exactly the image you’d expect for an aristocrat, but that’s exactly what Princess Diana‘s younger brother, Earl Charles Spencer, did this week, tying the knot with his fourth wife, archaeologist Professor Cat Jarman.
The couple met, almost as if out of a cosy primetime drama, when Charles was asked to review Cat’s book on Viking history. Then, in a more modern-day twist, they grew closer while recording their history podcast Rabbit Hole Detectives, which they co-host alongside I’m a Celeb fave, Reverend Richard Coles.
Charles and Cat said in a statement after their wedding: ‘We both feel so incredibly lucky to have progressed from being colleagues, to friendship, to deep love and connection. Each stage of our relationship has been underpinned by laughter, and we share a passion for life.’
So, who is Charles Spencer’s wife, Cat Jarman? Read on to find everything to know about the hotshot archaeologist.
Who is Cat Jarman?
Cat is a Norwegian archaeologist, author, and podcast host, known for her work on the Viking Age.
She studied archaeology at the University of Bristol, where she received her doctorate in 2017, and she now works at the university as an honorary senior research assistant.
In 2023, she launched a podcast with Charles Spencer and Reverend Richard Coles, The Rabbit Hole Detectives, which she describes on her Instagram as a ‘fall into weird and wonderful rabbit holes as we discuss the history of objects and concepts, real and imaginary’. She calls her co-hosts, including now-husband Charles, ‘really knowledgeable and both hilarious’. Turns out that on-air chemistry turned into romance!
Along with penning multiple books, she’s also appeared on TV, including as a presenter on several episodes of BBC 2 show, Digging for Britain.
How old is Cat Jarman?
Cat is 43 years old, meaning there’s an 18-year age gap between her and Charles, who is 61.
Speaking about dating a younger woman, Charles said to The Mail in 2024: ‘I’ve never been with a much younger person’ but that Cat is ‘very canny, very emotionally mature’.
How did Cat Jarman and Charles Spencer meet?
First crossing paths when Charles was asked to review Cat’s non-fiction bestseller River Kings, the pair worked together for a while before dating, and even launched a podcast together in 2023.
After Charles announced his divorce from his third wife Countess Karen Spencer in 2024, The Mail reported that he was ‘becoming close to Cat’. Later that year, Charles confirmed the relationship during an appearance on Good Morning Britain, so they’ve been official for a couple of years now.
What happened with Charles’s ex-wife, Karen Spencer?
With three ex-wives, there was aways the potential for some messy behaviour between Charles’s exes and his new spouse, Cat.
In October 2024, Cat sued Charles’s third wife Karen, alleging she’d misused private information. She later told the Daily Mail that Karen had allegedly disclosed her multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis without permission.
Cat told the newspaper: ‘Karen learned that I have MS. It was also confirmed to her that this was not something that was widely known. And yet she then went to Charles and said: “You do know she has MS, don’t you?” I’m still not entirely sure who else she shared this private and sensitive information with, which is the point of this legal action.’
The lawsuit was settled in December 2025, the same month Charles and Karen’s divorce was finalised.
When did Cat Jarman and Charles Spencer get married?
A very untraditional wedding for a royal-adjacent couple, Cat and Charles got wed in an intimate ceremony in the Arizonian desert on May 15th this year.
The Earl took to Instagram to post loved-up pics of him and his wife with a backdrop of sandy hills. He wrote in his caption: ‘A very close friend said to me, months ago: “The thing about Cat is, she’d want to be with you if you lived in a hut.” Little did I know she’d also be happy to marry me in a desert.’
A friends-to-lovers story, aristocrat style.
Lucy Keitley is a writer at Grazia UK, covering news and features. She’s interested in female-focused stories and smart cultural analysis on a wide range of topics, whether that’s a hard-hitting societal trend or reality TV.
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