Earl Spencer

Earl Spencer. The title of Earl Spencer is a prestigious hereditary peerage in the Peerage of Great Britain, created in 1703 for a prominent branch of the Spencer family. The family seat is the historic estate of Althorp in Northamptonshire, which has housed an extensive collection of art and served as the final resting place of Diana, Princess of Wales. The title is distinct from the dukedom of Marlborough, held by a separate senior branch of the Spencer family, and its holders have played significant roles in British politics, naval affairs, and national life.

History of the Earldom

The earldom was created on 1 August 1703 by Queen Anne for Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland, a senior Whig politician who served as Lord Privy Seal and Lord President of the Council. The title was a recognition of the family's political influence and their descent from the powerful Spencer family of Althorp. The first earl's father, Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland, had been a notorious political operative during the reigns of Charles II and James II, and the family's fortunes were intertwined with the Glorious Revolution. The Spencer family had been substantial landowners since the Tudor period, having amassed wealth from the wool trade and later through strategic marriages, such as that to the rich heiress of the Churchill family.

Earls Spencer (1703–present)

The first Earl Spencer, Charles Spencer, 3rd Earl of Sunderland, was succeeded by his son, John Spencer, though this line died out quickly. The title then passed to a grandson of the first earl, John Spencer, who is noted as the first to be solely Earl Spencer. His son, George Spencer, 2nd Earl Spencer, served as First Lord of the Admiralty during the French Revolutionary Wars and was a noted bibliophile whose collection formed the nucleus of the British Library. The 5th Earl, John Spencer, 5th Earl Spencer, was a prominent Liberal politician and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. The 7th Earl, Albert Spencer, 7th Earl Spencer, was the grandfather of Diana, Princess of Wales. The current holder is Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, a historian and former journalist, who succeeded his father, John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer, in 1992.

Family and residences

The principal and historic seat of the Earls Spencer is Althorp, a Grade I listed stately home in Northamptonshire set within a large park. The house contains one of Europe's finest private collections of paintings, including portraits by Anthony van Dyck, Peter Paul Rubens, and Thomas Gainsborough, and a renowned library. For much of the 18th and 19th centuries, the family also maintained Spencer House in St James's, London, a masterpiece of Palladian architecture. The family is closely related to the Duke of Marlborough, with the lines descending from two sons of Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough. Other notable family members include Sarah Spencer, Baroness Lyttelton, a governess to the children of Queen Victoria, and Cynthia Spencer, Countess Spencer, a noted philanthropist during the Second World War.

Public roles and legacy

Historically, Earls Spencer have held high political office, including the Home and Foreign Secretaryships, and served as Lord Chamberlain and Lord Steward of the Royal Household. The 2nd Earl's tenure at the Admiralty oversaw the naval victories of Horatio Nelson. The family's legacy is also deeply cultural, with the Spencer Collection of manuscripts and printed books being a cornerstone of the British Library. In the modern era, the family gained global prominence through Diana, Princess of Wales, whose funeral was held at Althorp. The current earl is a published author on historical subjects and has been involved in the preservation of Althorp and its collections, which are opened to the public seasonally.

Spencer family tree

The Spencer family tree illustrates the descent from Sir John Spencer of Wormleighton in the 16th century. A pivotal marriage in the 18th century was between Charles Spencer, 3rd Duke of Marlborough and Elizabeth Trevor, linking the Spencer and Churchill lines. The tree shows the bifurcation creating the ducal line of the Marlboroughs and the comital line of the Earls Spencer. Notable descendants through female lines include Sir Winston Churchill and George Washington. The tree includes the marriages of the 8th Earl to Frances Shand Kydd and the 9th Earl to Victoria Lockwood, among others, and details the line of succession to the earldom, currently held by Louis Spencer, Viscount Althorp.

Category:Earls Spencer Category:1703 establishments in Great Britain