Diana’s brother ‘was a worthless husband’
PRINCESS Diana’s brother Earl Spencer was accused of being a “worthless” husband and father yesterday.
The three-times married royal, 54, had a “bad reputation” according to documents published in the High Court. The papers contain allegations that his extra-marital affairs were “not contestable” and that he refused to put Diana up after her divorce.
Spencer, a father-of-seven and uncle of Princes William and Harry, has issued a writ against his former lawyers Schillings, saying they bungled a libel action he brought against a newspaper 10 years ago.
But the law firm claims a number of the allegations made against him were “substantially justified”. One is that he refused to offer Diana a roof over her head at the family estate – Althorp House in Northants – after her split from Charles. Schillings will also argue it could have been proven he had several affairs while married to his first wife Victoria Lockwood.
It is another controversial episode in the life of the Earl, famous for his attack on the Royal Family in a speech at Diana’s funeral 22 years ago. His writ alleges that because the libel action was not pursued properly, the newspaper was able to repeat some of the damaging claims seven years later. But in its defence document Schillings argues that he agreed to settle the action after its lawyers advised him more damaging information might be produced.
They argue that if he had pursued the 2010 claim, it could have “caused further and greater reputational damage” when the newspaper’s legal team brought “damaging evidence to prove the allegations”.
It adds: “The claimant’s reputation as a husband and father was so bad as to be worthless.” And it says the offending article contained “criticisms of the claimant which were either not contested or not contestable”.
They included: “That he had several adulterous relationships during his marriage to his first wife.”
The hearing is due to begin later this year.