Charles Spencer made his red carpet debut with his new partner, historian and archaeologist Dr. Cat Jarman, on Friday evening at the House of Commons. The couple attended a special event hosted by the MS Society in support of MS Awareness Week.
Sharing a smiling photo of himself and Dr. Jarman holding a sign that read, “Speak up for people with MS,” the Earl of Spencer, 60, accompanied the image with a caption that seemed to carry a pointed message.
“It’s MS Awareness Week and @catjarman and I attended an inspiring event at the House of Commons arranged by @mssocietyuk — with many parliamentarians present — to support the 150,000 people in the UK who live with this condition,” he wrote.
He continued, “The theme of this week is how and when those living with MS communicate their condition to their loved ones. It should, of course, be their choice how and if they do this.”
The message appears to allude to an ongoing legal dispute involving Dr. Jarman and Charles’s estranged wife, Countess Karen Spencer. Dr. Jarman is suing Karen over alleged misuse of private information. According to court filings, one of the claims is that Karen made Dr. Jarman feel “compelled to publicly disclose the fact of her MS.”
In December, Dr. Jarman gave an interview to MailOnline discussing her diagnosis, which, as noted in legal documents, she felt was necessary “to bring an end to the harmful speculation and gossip which had been percolating online.” The filings state, “In these circumstances, the claimant wished to regain some of the autonomy and control over her medical information.”
In Countess Karen’s 11-page defense, she denies wrongdoing and claims details of Dr. Jarman’s MS were “volunteered” by Mr. Jarman because he “plainly believed” it was relevant to his wife’s behavior and the alleged affair between Charles and Cat.
At Friday’s event, Charles looked dapper in a classic navy suit paired with a blue shirt and tie, while Dr. Jarman opted for a chic all-black outfit featuring a leather jacket, glitzy drop earrings, and a beaded necklace.
New Beginnings
Since their separation, Countess Karen has moved out of the couple’s family estate, Althorp, along with their 12-year-old daughter, Lady Charlotte. They are currently residing in a temporary home with expansive grounds, where they appear to have quickly adapted to their new surroundings.
In a recent Instagram update, Karen shared that she’s already planning her first dinner party at the new residence — a tradition she frequently hosted for notable guests and organizations at Althorp.
