The Countess Spencer | |
|---|---|
 Jarman at Hatchards in 2024 | |
| Born | Catrine Lie 1982 (age 43–44) |
| Occupation | Archaeologist |
| Spouses |
|
| Academic background | |
| Alma mater | University of Oslo University of Bristol |
| Thesis | Resolving Repton: the nature of the Viking winter camp (2017) |
| Academic work | |
| Discipline | Archaeology |
Sub-discipline | |
Catrine Lie Spencer, Countess Spencer FSA (formerly Jarman; born 1982) is a Norwegian archaeologist and television presenter. She is the fourth wife of Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, the younger brother of Diana, Princess of Wales.
Early life and education
Jarman was born in Norway in 1982.[1][2] She studied at the University of Oslo, graduating with a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) in 2012.[3] Her master's thesis was titled "Identities home and abroad: An isotopic study of Viking Age Norway and the British Isles".[3] She earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Archaeology from the University of Bristol in 2017.[1][4] Her doctoral thesis was titled "Resolving Repton: the nature of the Viking winter camp",[4] and her supervisor was Mark Horton.[3]
Career
After completing her PhD, she was an honorary senior research associate at the University of Bristol until 2020.[3] She continued her work on Viking Repton; including isotopic analyses of the human remains, sequencing ancient DNA from samples, and "reassessing some of the unpublished artefacts".[3]
Her 2021 book River Kings: A new history of the Vikings from Scandinavia to the Silk Roads was called "an engaging introduction to the study of the Vikings" by the Times Literary Supplement.[5] Her 2023 book The Bone Chests: Unlocking the Secrets of the Anglo-Saxons was called "an enthusiastic guide through England's early medieval past" by History Today.[6]
In July 2024, she was awarded the Dan David Prize of 2024 for "Archaeology of the Viking Age and public archaeology".[7]
She was a presenter on some episodes of the ninth[8] and 11th series[9] of the BBC Two television series Digging for Britain.[7]
Jarman presents a history podcast The Rabbit Hole Detectives with Richard Coles and Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, and together they wrote The Rabbit Hole Book, published by Michael Joseph in 2024.[10]
Personal life
Jarman has multiple sclerosis, having been diagnosed in 2016.[11]
Jarman's husband is the 9th Earl Spencer, their relationship having been publicly confirmed in 2024 while the Earl and his 3rd wife, Karen Spencer, were divorcing.[12]
In October 2024, Jarman brought a claim against Karen Spencer, Countess Spencer for alleged misuse of private information relating to her MS diagnosis. The claim was settled in December 2025 via a Part 36 provision, with Earl Spencer ordered to indemnify some of the costs as part of the Spencers' divorce arbitration.[13][14]
On 15 May 2026, Jarman married the 9th Earl Spencer in Sedona, Arizona, United States.[15]
Selected works
- Articles
- Jarman, Catrine L.; Larsen, Thomas; Hunt, Terry; Lipo, Carl; Solsvik, Reidar; Wallsgrove, Natalie; Ka'apu-Lyons, Cassie; Close, Hilary G.; Popp, Brian N. (October 2017). "Diet of the prehistoric population of Rapa Nui (Easter Island, Chile) shows environmental adaptation and resilience". American Journal of Physical Anthropology. 164 (2): 343–361. Bibcode:2017AJPA..164..343J. doi:10.1002/ajpa.23273. PMC 5637906. PMID 28664976.
- Jarman, Catrine L.; Biddle, Martin; Higham, Tom; Bronk Ramsey, Christopher (February 2018). "The Viking Great Army in England: new dates from the Repton charnel". Antiquity. 92 (361): 183–199. doi:10.15184/aqy.2017.196.
- Books
- River Kings: A new history of the Vikings from Scandinavia to the Silk Roads William Collins (2021) ISBN 978-0008353094
- The Bone Chests: Unlocking the secrets of the Anglo-Saxons William Collins (2023) ISBN 978-0008447328
- The Rabbit Hole Book with Richard Coles and Charles Spencer, Michael Joseph (2024) ISBN 978-0241684863
References
- "Cat Jarman | Author | LibraryThing". LibraryThing.com. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- Jureidini, Ben (19 June 2024). "Who is Cat Jarman? Meet the groundbreaking archaeologist rumoured to be hitting it off with Earl Spencer following his 'demon negotiator' divorce announcement". Tatler. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- "Dr Catrine Jarman". School of Arts. University of Bristol. Archived from the original on 20 July 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
- Jarman, Catrine Lie (2017). Resolving repton: the nature of the Viking winter camp (PhD thesis). University of Bristol. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
- "River Kings by Cat Jarman review: Following the eastern adventures of the Vikings". TLS. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- "'The Bone Chests' by Cat Jarman review | History Today". www.historytoday.com. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- "DAN DAVID PRIZE, WORLD'S LARGEST HISTORY PRIZE, ANNOUNCES 2024 WINNERS". PR Newswire. 2 July 2024. Retrieved 20 May 2026.
- "BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 9, Episode 2". BBC. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- "BBC Two - Digging for Britain, Series 11, Forgotten Fortresses and Lost Villages". BBC. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
- Billen, Andrew (6 October 2024). "What happened when the vicar, the archaeologist and the earl met". www.thetimes.com. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
- Cobham, Tara (5 December 2024). "Earl Spencer's new partner reveals MS diagnosis – and why she's suing his third wife". The Independent. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
- Elston, Laura (15 October 2024). "Earl Spencer confirms new relationship with 'brilliant' archaeologist Cat Jarman". The Standard. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
- Spencer v Spencer [2025] EWFC 431 (8 December 2025)
- "Partner of Earl Spencer settles High Court claim against his ex-wife". The Independent. 23 April 2026. Retrieved 26 May 2026.
- Perry, Simon (19 May 2026). "Princess Diana's Brother Charles Spencer Marries Cat Jarman in Private Arizona Wedding: See the Photos". People. Retrieved 19 May 2026.