Raine Spencer, Countess Spencer

Raine Spencer
Born	(1929-09-09) 9 September 1929
Spouse(s)	1.Gerald Legge m.1947 div.1976 d.1997 2.Edward Spencer m.1976 d.1992 3. Comte Jean-François Pineton de Chambrun m.1993 div.1995
Parent(s)	Alexander McCorquodale Barbara Cartland

Raine Spencer, the Dowager Countess Spencer, born 9 September 1929, is a British socialite, politician and stepmother of the late Diana, Princess of Wales. She is the daughter of the novelist, Barbara Cartland and Alexander McCorquodale. Aged 23, she became the youngest member of Westminster City Council. As Lady Lewisham, and later Lady Dartmouth, she remained in local government for the following 17 years.

A larger than life figure, her actions frequently cause mention in the British and foreign press. Her taste has frequently been questioned and her relationship with the late Princess of Wales much discussed. Her three marriages, have at varying times, accorded her five titles - The Honourable Mrs Gerald Legge; Viscountess Lewisham, the Countess of Dartmouth, Countess Spencer and Comtesse Jean-François de Chambrun. Following the collapse of her third marriage, she chose to revert to the Spencer title given her by the husband she had nursed from serious illness to recovery.

Now in old age, her appearance at any public function, always well-dressed and coiffured and usually with a huge smile, is guaranteed to attract press attention and comment. Her court appearance at the inquest into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, provided some of the lighter moments in the otherwise sombre proceedings, when she appeared on the large screen in the adjoining press room, she was given an affectionate cheer - an ironic reception, from the journalists who write so profusely about her.

Early years

Raine Spencer's mother, the socialite and romantic novelist Barbara Cartland.

The former Raine McCorquodale is the only child of novelist Dame Barbara Cartland and her first husband, Alexander McCorquodale, an Army officer who was heir to a printing fortune. The McCorquodales divorced in 1936 and Barbara Cartland promptly married Alexander McCorquodale's cousin, Hugh McCorquodale, by whom she had two sons, Ian and Glen McCorquodale.

In 1947, the 18 eighteen-year-old Raine McCorquodale was launched as a debutante into London high society, she had a successful season, not only being names as "Deb of the Year," but becoming engaged to be married to the heir to an earldom, the Hon. Gerald Humphry Legge. She and Legge married that same year. He succeeded to the courtesy title Viscount Lewisham in 1958 and became the 9th Earl of Dartmouth in 1962. The couple had four children:

• William Legge, 10th Earl of Dartmouth, born on 23 September 1949
• Hon. Rupert Legge, born on 1 January 1953
• Lady Charlotte, born on 16 July 1963. She married Don Alessandro Paternò Castello, 13th Duke of Carcaci.
• Hon. Henry Legge, born on 28 December 1968. He married Cressida Hogg, the youngest daughter of Sir Christopher Hogg.

Following her marriage, she began to take a strong interest in politics. A Conservative at 23, she became the youngest member of Westminster City Council. As Lady Lewisham, and later Lady Dartmouth, she remained in local government for the following 17 years. A member of Westminster's town planning, parks and personnel committees; she was later elected to represent Richmond on the Greater London Council. In this capacity she took an especial interest in environmental planning and ancient buildings. Additionally, Lady Dartmouth served as chair of the Covent Garden Development Committee and and on government working party for the United Nations Conference on the Environment in Stockholm.

In 1973, Lady Dartmouth began a relationship with Viscount Althorp, a colleague on an architectural heritage committee. As a consequence of the resultant affair, the Dartmouths were divorced in 1976.

Countess Spencer

Althorpe House, Countess Spencer oversaw a large redecoration and restoration project of the Spencer's ancestral home.

Lady Dartmouth and, the former, Lord Althorpe were married at Caxton Hall, London, on 14 July, 1976, Lord Althorpe had succeeded his father as 8th Earl Spencer in 1975. As Countess Spencer, she was unpopular with Spencer's children, the youngest of whom was to become Diana, Princess of Wales. However, media reports have suggested that at the time of her death, Diana was reconciled with her step-mother, while her relationship with her mother, Frances, had been strained.

In 1978, Earl Spencer suffered a brain haemorrhage; his wife nursed him, and it is to her care and devotion coupled with the use of an untested drug, that his recovery is credited. Following the Earl's illness, his wife was widely criticised, by the press and conservationists, for her redecoration of Althorp, the Spencer family seat; it was felt that the heavy use of new gilding and wallpapers failed to compensate for the missing treasures, which included besides properties and land, works by Van Dyck and Gainsboroug, furniture, china, porcelain, silver, gold and family documents sold to fund the project and necessary restoration of the house. It should be noted that the Earl fully endorsed and assisted in his wife's alteration to Althorp and fund-raising activities. However, this was not enough to stop Earl Spencer's son and heir describing his stepmother's taste in decoration as having "the wedding cake vulgarity of a five-star hotel in Monaco."

The Spencers led an opulent lifestyle entertaining frequently and generously, and travelling greatly. In February 1981, they became globally known following the marriage of the Earl's daughter, Diana, to the Prince of Wales.

The Earl died in 1992, her relationship with her stepson being poor, the dowager Countess immediately left Althorp. The abrupt move from Althorp was, however, cushioned by a £4 million inheritance and a townhouse in London's Mayfair from her husband.

Comtesse Jean-François Pineton de Chambrun

Raine Spencer married thirdly, in 1993, Count Jean-François Pineton de Chambrun, a descendant of the Marquis de La Fayette, a member of a prominent French family related to the American Roosevelt family, after a courtship of 33 days. The Count, a younger son of Jean-Pierre Pineton de Chambrun, Marquis de Chambrun (a deaf biochemist-artist), was previously married to American Josalee Douglas. The Countess again attracted charges of vulgarity, in Britain, when it was discovered that pictures of the wedding had been sold to Hello Magazine for a reputed £70,000. It was at this time, that while none of her Spencer step-children attended her remarriage, it was claimed that there was a rapprochement between her and the Princess of Wales.

The de Chambruns' marriage was to be short-lived and the couple divorced in 1995. Styled since the marriage as Comtesse Jean-François Pineton de Chambrun, the Comtesse chose to revert to her previous surname and style of Raine, Countess Spencer.

21st century

In December 2007, Raine Spencer again featured in the news; giving evidence at the London inquest into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales. Making a rare public comment on her relationship with her stepdaughter, she quoted the princess as saying: "She always said I had no hidden agenda. So many people, because she was so popular and so world famous, wanted something out of her. It was a very draining life." Later she told the court "Well, we all want the dark handsome gentleman to walk through the door."

Today, Raine Spencer is a member of the board of directors of Harrods, and occasionally works in the store, although as she told the inquest "Ironically, I never went shopping in Harrods. It was my husband [Earl Spencer] who practically lived there." Her principal home is in Mayfair, London, where she remains a regular face on the London social scene.