Charles Spencer hired the same lawyer that his former brother-in-law, King Charles III, hired for his divorce from Princess Diana.
The 9th Earl Spencer and younger brother of the late Princess of Wales has hired Fiona Shackleton to represent him in his divorce case from his third wife, Karen Spencer, the U.K.’s Times reported.
According to the outlet, Shackleton is the same lawyer Prince Charles turned to for help following his divorce from Diana in 1996.
The previous Prince and Princess of Wales separated in 1992 after 11 years of marriage. Their divorce was finalised a year before 36-year-old Diana died in a Paris car crash.
Earl Charles Spencer has appointed Fiona Shackleton to represent him, the UK Times reported. (Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images)
Shackleton is well known in the royal family. He represented Prince Andrew These include his divorce from Sarah Ferguson in 1996 and his separation from Dubai’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum in 2019, including Princess Haya Bint Al-Hussein of Jordan.
A spokesperson for Shackleton did not provide comment to Fox News Digital.
Fiona Shackleton also represented Beatle Sir Paul McCartney in his divorce from Heather Mills in 2008. (Sean Curry/AFP via Getty Images)
According to People magazine, Queen Elizabeth II made the barrister a lifetime peer in 2010 and bestowed on her the title Baroness Shackleton of Belgravia. The outlet noted that Shackleton is a current member of the House of Lords in Parliament who attended Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding in May 2018.
Fiona Shackleton is well known in the royal family. (Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images)
Spencer, 60, and his wife are separating after nearly 13 years of marriage. The British aristocrat announced their separation to The Mail on Sunday.
“It’s extremely sad,” Earl told the outlet about the divorce. “I just want to dedicate myself to all of my children and my grandchildren, and I wish Karen every happiness in the future.”
A spokesperson for Spencer did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
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Princess Diana and the former Prince Charles separated in 1992. Their divorce was finalized in 1996. (Jane Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images)
According to the outlet, his marriage to the Countess of Spencer ended during the writing of His memoir, “A Very Private School.” The couple first announced their breakup privately to staff at Charles’ ancestral home, Althorp House, in April.
The outlet also reported that Spencer is “getting close” to Norwegian archaeologist Dr. Kat Germann. They “seem very happy together,” but it’s still “early days.”
German co-hosts the history podcast “The Rabbit Hole Detectives” with Spencer and the Rev. Richard Coles.
Princess Haya Bint Al-Hussein arrives at the High Court in London with her lawyer Fiona Shackleton on November 13, 2019. (Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
Spencer and Karen, 52, said “I do” at Althorp House in June 2011. The wedding came two months after Spencer’s nephew, Prince William, married Kate Middleton. Althorp House, the historic English estate where Spencer and his sister Diana grew up, became their residence after the wedding. They have a 12-year-old daughter, Charlotte Diana, whose name is a tribute to her royal aunt.
Karen is a social entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Whole Child International. She has two grown daughters from her previous marriage to Hollywood producer Mark Gordon.
Spencer, who has been married three times, has four children with his first wife, Victoria Lockwood, and two with his second wife, Caroline Freud.
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Charles Spencer and Karen Spencer arrive at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England. (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
In her memoir “A Very Private School,” Spencer described how she was sexually abused as a child. For many years, Spencer kept this abuse a secret. But after two failed marriages, Spencer realized she needed help.
Charles Spencer was married to British model Victoria Lockwood from 1989 to 1997. (Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images)
“I was deeply confused by my endless romantic disasters, deep unhappiness and two divorces,” he previously explained. Fox News Digital“I wanted to do something for my kids too. That was really the motivation. I wanted to be better for them so I could be a better father.
“I don’t know if they would agree that I handled it, but that was my goal. And I think, if I wasn’t a parent, I probably would have just … kept coping. (Saying it out loud) was surprisingly helpful. It didn’t get to the root of the problem, but it did set me on a course of more honest therapy.”
Charles Spencer was married to Caroline Freud from 2001 to 2007. (Dave Bennett/Getty Images)
Spencer said he has “really taken a turn” in the past three to four months, especially after writing his book. He is still doing “very effective” post-traumatic stress disorder treatment as well as tai chi and breathing exercises.
According to reports, Fiona Shackleton represented Prince Andrew (right) in his divorce from Sarah Ferguson in 1996. (John Shelley Collection/Avalon/Getty Images)
“I have a whole repertoire of assistive techniques to help me get to a better state,” he said.
Following the book’s publication, Spencer told People magazine that Karen “has been supportive.”
“I think it was very challenging for her to see her husband go through 4½ years of the most intense therapy that I could think of,” she told the outlet. “And she supported the idea of me doing that.
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Countess Spencer and Earl Spencer attending the Portrait Gala 2017 at the National Portrait Gallery on March 28, 2017 in London. (David M. Bennett/Dave Bennett/Getty Images for William & Son)
“I think she always hoped that I would come out happy and healthy,” he said. “And it seems like that’s largely true. So, I’m grateful that she stood by me during this, which I now realize was a necessary process.”
