Victoria Aitken


Catherine Victoria Aitken, formerly Victoria Spencer, Countess Spencer, is a British former fashion model and former wife of Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, the younger brother of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Marriages and family

Catherine Victoria Lockwood is the daughter of John Lockwood, an airline executive, and Jean Lockwood. On 16 September 1989, she married Charles Spencer, then Viscount Althorp, at the Church of St Mary, Great Brington. During her first marriage she was known as Viscountess Althorp, and later as Countess Spencer. Althorp's nephew Prince Harry was a pageboy at their wedding; his nieces Eleanor Fellowes and Emily Mccorquodale were bridesmaids.
She suffered from eating disorders and drug and alcohol abuse during her first marriage. It was alleged that the earl had an extra-marital affair with a journalist early in the marriage. The couple moved with their four children to South Africa in 1995 to avoid the media. After their divorce on 3 December 1997, Lord Spencer moved back to the United Kingdom, and subsequently remarried twice.
In 2005, the former countess married ex-model Jonathan Aitken; they divorced in 2009. They have a son, Samuel Aitken. She formed a relationship with a South African former army officer, James Clinch.
She is the sister of Christopher Lockwood, a member of the Number 10 Policy Unit.