However, Diana was not the only Spencer woman to enter an unhappy union.
Charles Spencer and Victoria Aitken were perhaps ill-matched from the very beginning.
He was a young viscount dealing with unresolved childhood traumas.
She was a model who didn’t come from nobility.
Aitken, in particular, would tell the press that her marriage had been one heartbreak after the other.
Fancy houses and gorgeous jewelry were just a part of her lifestyle.
Indeed, Aitken has lived extremely lavishly.
However, she had a fascinating life even before crossing paths with her first husband.
With her willowy figure and expressive eyes, Aitken quickly impressed some of the biggest names in the business.
The American designer, Ralph Lauren, was said to have been particularly taken with her.
When Aitken’s career took off, the young model decided to leave the country.
Rather than seek work in London, she headed to New York City where opportunities for advancement abounded.
Even though she was just a teenager, Aitken grew very successful very quickly.
She became a cover girl for brands like Tatler, Company, and Lei Glamour Italia.
This gave Aitken’s life a touch of glitz and glamour that would follow her into her later years.
Charles Spencer then styled the Viscount Althorp was part of one of the most influential families in the country.
After all, his sister, Princess Diana, was then poised to become the next queen of England.
His nephew, Prince William, was second-in-line to the throne.
Even Spencer himself was set to inherit an impressive estate and become an earl.
Spencer wanted to share all this with Aitken from almost the moment he met her.
On September 16, 1989, Spencer and Aitken tied the knot in an elegant ceremony.
Aitken wore an ornate, Medieval-inspired gown designed by couture creator Thomasz Starzewski.
However, as the designer told the publication, Aitken knew exactly what she wanted.
Dating back to 1767, this piece represented the Spencer family’s place in the British aristocracy.
By the end of the ceremony, Victoria was officially the Viscountess Althorp.
The model also was gifted an engagement ring with an eye-catching design.
The piece combined a stunning ruby with a glittering diamond for form the shape of a heart.
Miniature diamonds were then placed around the exterior to emphasize the shape.
And, more diamonds yet were arranged above the heart design to form a crown.
Over the years, the model accrued a fair number of pricey pieces.
Victoria Aitken, in turn, was styled the Countess Spencer.
Bound by duty and convention, Charles and Aitken took over the historic Althorp House estate.
Speaking on this matter toTatlerin 2024, Eliza gushed at the property’s beauty.
“It is a truly special and beautiful place.
It likely didn’t hurt that the mansion was the pinnacle of luxury.
Throughout the 1990s, as the beloved People’s Princess attracted press attention, so did her extended family.
Like Althorp House, Tarrystone Estate boasted extensive grounds.
This meant that they had a bit of wine country in their own home.
This was especially true in 1997 when she and Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer, filed for divorce.
According to press coverage of the separation, Spencer was unfaithful to Aitken throughout their marriage.
As a result, tensions grew between the pair.
Some reports indicated that Spencer would even mock Aitken’s looks and intelligence.
PerThe Guardian, Princess Diana’s brother told a horrible joke about his wife at his 30th birthday bash.
Well, those who know Victoria know she’s thick and she’s also thin.”
In other words, it represented the dark side of her fame and fortune.
She began using heroin and developed an addiction that would follow her for decades.
As she would later tell Hello!
(via theDaily Mail), “There are no holidays from this illness.
The price of freedom is constant vigilance.
I attend recovery meetings every week and I will do so for the rest of my life.”
She also became a counselor with the group dedicating her time to helping others live a drug-free life.
These philanthropic efforts have allowed Aitken to use her wealth to make her community a better place.
If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available.
Visit theSubstance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration websiteor contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
There, she met someone special who understood the challenges related to addiction.
John Aitken was a South African businessman who had made his fortune running a major clothing company.
Upon announcing her pregnancy, Victoria told the press, “The baby is very much wanted …
This completes us as a family unit” (viaHello!).
Their son, Samuel Aitken, was born in 2003.
For a time, it seemed that Victoria and John were the perfect couple.
They raised Samuel together and even planned a January 2005 wedding in which they said their vows.
Because of their respective fortunes, Victoria and John lived comfortably.
Of course, as a privileged family, the Aitkens found that their separation was intrinsically related to money.
Prince Harry himself came out to Althorp House for the nuptials of his maternal uncle and aunt-to-be.
Plus, he all but stole the show in his cute burgundy hat and sash.
Wearing a light green Burberry dress, Aitken looked as regal as ever.
After all, Aitken remains an integral part of the Spencer family despite having divorced her children’s father.
Since finishing their studies, all three of Aitken’s daughters have moved to London and begun modeling careers.
Like their mother before them, Kitty, Eliza, and Amelia have all appeared on the cover ofTatler.
And, they have represented major brands like Versace, Bulgari, and Balenciaga.
The best part is that Kitty, Amelia, and Eliza have all been accepted into elite circles.
Aitken herself is said to have created an unlikely friendship with Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex.
The two are even rumored to have gone out to dinner together without Prince Harry.
It sure seems safe to assume the duo have developed a friendship of their own.
For starters, they both know what it’s like to be in a high-profile marriage.
Suffice it to say, she and Meghan probably have a few things to connect over.
