Karen, Countess Spencer, buys £3.6m mansion just 10 miles from ex-husband Earl Spencer's Althorp estate

From the Newshound archive · first published 2 October 2026 · last updated 3 October 2026.

Karen, Countess Spencer, has splashed out £3.6 million of her divorce settlement on a six-bedroom country mansion in Northamptonshire, staying firmly on Earl Spencer's doorstep despite many expecting her to quit Britain entirely. The 54-year-old Canadian-born social entrepreneur is said to have chosen a property just 10 miles from the 13,000-acre Althorp estate, where her former husband's new wife, Norwegian archaeologist Professor Cat Jarman, is now installed.

The property boasts a heated swimming pool, all-weather tennis court, gym and formal gardens — described by agents as 'a remarkable country estate that epitomises luxury and refined living.'

Karen still styles herself Karen, Countess Spencer, having declined to surrender the title after her 13-year marriage to Charles Spencer ended acrimoniously in 2024.

The house move comes less than a fortnight after Earl Spencer's memoir 'Swan Song: Diana my Sister' sparked a royal row over claims King Charles said 'we'll forget her soon enough' after Diana's death.