Who Is Cat Jarman? All About Charles Spencer’s 'Close' Podcast Cohost amid Divorce

Charles Spencer is reportedly getting closer to Norwegian archaeologist Cat Jarman amid his divorce from his third wife, Karen Spencer.

The 9th Earl Spencer and younger brother of the late Princess Diana announced that he was separating in June 2024 for The Mail on Sunday. Exit also reported that Spencer had “become close” with Jarman, his co-host on his podcast, Rabbit Hole Detectives.

“It’s incredibly sad,” Spencer told the outlet of her divorce. “I just want to dedicate myself to all my children and grandchildren, and I wish Karen the best of luck in the future.”

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In October 2024, Jarman filed a lawsuit against Karen — alleging misuse of private information. Charles declined to comment when contacted by PEOPLE.

So who is Cat Jarman? Here’s everything you need to know about the woman Charles Spencer spent time with in the midst of his divorce.

Jarman and Spencer co-host a podcast

Charles Spencer and Cat Jarman at Althorp in August 2021.

Charles Spencer/Instagram

Spencer and Jarman started their podcast, Rabbit Hole Detectivesalong with the Reverend Richard Coles in February 2023. Each episode of the podcast follows “the origins of historical objects, both real and metaphorical,” according to the description.

“I basically have the freedom to just explore different fun topics, historical topics, the origins of pretty much everything,” Jarman said of the podcast in her talk at the Institute of Irish Studies.

She and Spencer “became close” in the midst of his divorce

Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer and Karen Spencer arrive at the wedding of Prince Harry and Ms Meghan Markle at St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle on May 19, 2018 in Windsor, England.

Chris Jackson/Getty

After Spencer announced his divorce from his estranged wife Karen in June 2024, The Mail on Sunday also reported that he is “getting close” to Jarman, who is currently separated from his wife, and that they “seem very happy together, but it’s early days.”

Alongside their podcast, Jarman has also been helping Spencer excavate a Roman villa at Althorp.

“It was an absolute privilege to work with Charles as the first archaeologist on the ground of this 500-year-old park,” Jarman wrote on Instagram in November 2021, announcing her work on the project. “Can’t wait to share all the results!”

Jarman attended the University of Bristol

Charles Spencer and Cat Jarman after recording the first episode of their podcast in January 2023.

Charles Spencer/Instagram

Jarman studied archeology at the University of Bristol where she received her doctorate in 2017, according to her biography on her literary agency’s website. Her research focused on a large Viking army of the late 9th century in Derbyshire, England, which she learned about by studying a Viking mass grave of over 300 people. Her discoveries were later used for a 2019 documentary British Viking Cemetery and PBS’ The lost Viking army.

Jarman is now an honorary senior research associate at the School’s Department of Anthropology and Archeology and director of the Archaeological Research Unit.

Jarman is an archaeologist and writer

Bioarchaeologist Cat Jarman in conversation with William Dalrymple at a session during the Jaipur Literature Festival 2022, in Jaipur, Rajasthan, India, on Thursday, March 10, 2022.

Vishal Bhatnagar/NurPhoto via Getty

After receiving her doctorate, Jarman continued her archaeological work, specializing in the Viking area, specifically women and Rapa Nui (Easter Island). She led excavations at the Anglo-Saxon and Viking site of Repton, as well as the newly discovered Viking winter camp at Foremark, according to her biography.

“I’m always looking for new stories to tell,” Jarman said of her work in a talk at the Institute of Irish Studies in Liverpool in November 2023. “I also do a lot of shows and podcasts.”

In addition to her fieldwork, Jarman published her findings in two books in 2021 River Kings: A New History of the Vikings from Scandinavia to the Silk Roads and in 2023 Chests of Bones: Unraveling the Secrets of the Anglo-Saxons.

The first follows the origin of a piece of jewelry that was found in England from India, and the second tells the story of his research into ten broken wooden chests that contained the bones of royal families.

Speaking at the Institute of Irish Studies, she said she most enjoyed writing the scientific parts of her latest book, describing it as her “comfort blanket”.

She is a mother

Jarman has been open about her struggles as a full-time working mother on Instagram. In a post from February 2023, she wrote about how she took her children on a trip with her while they were on vacation from school, which she rarely does.

“While their world stops for a week, mine doesn’t. Fortunately, my children are older now and need less supervision, but I still want them to enjoy their free time,” she wrote in the description alongside photos of her children by the sea. “I travel a lot for work, but I rarely get to take my kids with me, so this time I snuck in a little holiday by the sea to coincide with the meeting.”

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Source: HIS Education