John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer
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(Edward) John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer (24 January 1924–29 March 1992) was born at 24 Sussex Square, London, England, the son of Albert Edward John Spencer, 7th Earl Spencer (1892–1975) and his wife, the former Cynthia Elinor Beatrix Hamilton (1897–1972), daughter of the 3rd Duke of Abercorn.
On 1 June 1954 he and Frances Ruth Burke-Roche, a daughter of Edmund Burke Roche, 4th Baron Fermoy (1885–1955), were married in Westminster Abbey by Percy Herbert, Bishop of Norwich. They had five children:
- Elizabeth Sarah Lavinia Spencer (19 March 1955), who married Neil Edmund McCorquodale, a distant cousin of Raine, Countess Spencer
- Cynthia Jane Spencer (11 February 1957), who married Sir Robert Fellowes, later Baron Fellowes
- John Spencer, who died within 10 hours of his birth on 12 January 1960
- Diana Frances Spencer later Diana, Princess of Wales (1961–1997), first wife of Charles, Prince of Wales
- Charles Edward Maurice Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer (20 May 1964), who married Victoria Lockwood, then Caroline Freud (the latter formerly wife of Matthew Freud)
In April 1969, the Spencers were divorced on the grounds of Frances's adultery with Peter Shand Kydd (she was named as co-respondent in a divorce action brought by Janet Shand Kydd). Lord Spencer won a bitter custody battle for the children.
In 1976, Lord Spencer married Raine, Countess of Dartmouth, the former wife of Gerald Legge, 9th Earl of Dartmouth. Her mother was the romance novelist Barbara Cartland.
Lord Spencer died at Humana Hospital, Wellington, London, at the age of 68.
| Peerage of Great Britain | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Albert Spencer |
Earl Spencer 1975–1992 |
Succeeded by Charles Spencer |
