The legal wrangling between Countess Karen Spencer and Cat Jarman, the partner of her estranged husband Earl Spencer, has reached a settlement, with the terms being read out in open court on Thursday. Lawyers for Ms Jarman stated that Countess Spencer agreed to settle the claim in August last year.
The settlement was reached without any admission of liability or wrongdoing from Countess Spencer. The precise terms of the agreement were not disclosed during the hearing. Ms Jarman, an archaeologist who co-hosts a podcast with Earl Spencer, had accused Countess Spencer of disclosing her private medical information. Specifically, Ms Jarman alleged that her diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) was revealed to Earl Spencer and others without her consent.
"Your medical information is your own, and people are not allowed to speculate on that or share it," Ms Jarman commented to the Press Association following the hearing. She added, "I’m delighted to be able to move on with my life now." Her solicitor, Dina Shiloh, had previously informed the court that her client had only shared her diagnosis with a "very small and trusted circle of people." Ms Jarman had brought the proceedings "in order to vindicate her right to medical privacy and to secure recognition of the wrong she considers has been done to her."
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Earl Spencer's Involvement
Notably, it has been confirmed that Earl Spencer will be required to indemnify Countess Spencer for costs associated with accepting the settlement offer. This means he will bear a significant portion, if not all, of the financial outlay related to resolving the dispute. Countess Spencer herself did not appear at the hearing, nor was she represented.
Background to the Dispute
The legal battle originated from Ms Jarman's claim that her privacy was "seriously violated" when her medical data was shared without permission. She alleged that Countess Spencer disclosed her MS diagnosis to Earl Spencer and other individuals. Countess Spencer, in her defence documents, had previously asserted that any disclosures were "entirely justified and legitimate" in response to how she felt she had been treated.
The public nature of the legal action brought details of the breakdown of the Spencers’ 13-year marriage into the open. Earl Spencer publicly announced his separation from Countess Spencer in the summer of 2025, describing the situation as "immensely sad." Rumours of Earl Spencer's relationship with Professor Jarman had begun to circulate around the same period. The potential cost of the protracted legal dispute was estimated to be upwards of £2 million.
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