Charles Spencer, Princess Diana’s brother, married archaeologist and podcast co-host Cat Jarman in a private ceremony in Arizona on May 15, and he confirmed the wedding four days later with an Instagram post describing it as the happiest day ever. The 61-year-old and Jarman, 43, exchanged vows at Sedona’s Cathedral Rock, one of Arizona’s most photographed red sandstone buttes.
Spencer and Jarman’s relationship grew out of work as much as anything else. He first crossed paths with her after being asked to review her 2021 nonfiction book River Kings, written from her specialization in Vikings and after he had already authored nine books himself. The pair later collaborated on archaeological digs and co-hosted a podcast together before confirming their romance in October 2024.
The wedding marks Spencer’s fourth marriage and Jarman’s second. In the photos he shared, Jarman wore a blue sleeveless gown with cutouts at the waist, while Spencer appeared in a dark suit with an open-collar light blue shirt. The setting, in Coconino National Forest in Yavapai County, gave the ceremony a stark, secluded backdrop that matched the private tone of the day.
The marriage also closes a chapter shaped by public scrutiny. Court filings submitted in 2024 said Countess Karen Spencer accused her ex-husband of a long-term affair with Jarman, an allegation the couple categorically denied. Spencer’s post did not dwell on the dispute; instead, he wrote that a very close friend had told him months ago that Jarman would want to be with him if he lived in a hut, and he added that little did he know she would also be happy to marry him in a desert.
For now, the facts point to a relationship that moved from professional collaboration to marriage despite the noise around it. Spencer has now confirmed the union himself, and the private wedding at Cathedral Rock suggests he and Jarman chose to answer the gossip not with a public defense, but with a ceremony of their own.
