How Earl Spencer Banned His Wife Victoria So He Could Bring His Mistress to Princess Diana’s Funeral and Burial. On September 6, 1997, the world stood still as Charles Spencer, the 9th Earl Spencer, stood in the pulpit of Westminster Abbey and delivered a eulogy for his sister, Princess Diana. He famously swore to protect her young sons Prince William and Harry the Private Citizen from a toxic media circus. (He has broken that promise) But away from the cameras, a staggering web of personal hypocrisy was playing out. While presenting himself as the ultimate family protector, Earl Spencer was executing a ruthless double standard involving his wife, Victoria Lockwood. The true victim of his actions was his own wife, who was both Diana’s sister-in-law and her close personal friend. Diana and Victoria shared bond and had supported each other through their respective public and private battles. At the time of Diana's death on 31 August 1997, Charles Spencer and Victoria Lockwood were still legally married. Victoria—who suffered from eating and psychiatric disorders heartbreakingly similar to Diana's—was living in South Africa with their four children. When the funeral was announced, Victoria desperately wanted to travel to London to attend the services, mourn her friend, and pay her final respects. Instead, Charles explicitly forbade her, ordering her to stay in South Africa and look after the children. His public excuse was keeping his vulnerable wife away from a "media circus." (What a manipulative gaslighter) But the reality was far more sinister. While Diana's sister-in-law was forced to stay behind, Spencer took his mistress, Josie Borain. Josie Borain, a high-profile former model famous for Calvin Klein's Obsession perfume campaigns, was brought to London and given total access. Not only did she attend the public funeral, but Charles also brought her straight to the private family interment on the island at Oval Lake on the Althorp Estate. The true gravity of this betrayal was later confirmed by Borain herself. The burial on the Althorp island was so tightly guarded that only three people outside of the immediate Royal and Spencer families were granted permission to attend. Those three people were Diana's butler, her chauffeur, and Josie Borain. The truth exploded into public view just a few months later, in Nov 1997, during the Spencers' incredibly bitter Cape Town divorce trial. (He forced the divorce to stay in SA and not UK family courts because he was trying to cut Victoria off of his money) The court exposed Spencer as a hypocrite, a bully, and a serial adulterer who treated his vulnerable wife callously. Then there was an explosive turn of events when Chantal Collopy, a South African model who had been one of Earl Spencer’s key mistresses, discovered that he was simultaneously pursuing a relationship with Josie Borain and took her to Diana's funeral. Outraged by the betrayal, Chantal chose to join forces rather than remain silent. She provided crucial insider knowledge to Victoria’s legal team, detailing how the Earl had conducted their affair while Victoria was actively confined to a clinic receiving psychiatric treatment caused by Charles and his sordid affairs and abusive behaviour. This remarkable alliance between wife and mistress completely upended the South African High Court proceedings; Chantal went as far as preparing to take the stand to testify directly against the Earl. Confronted with the devastating prospect of his former lover exposing his private texts, timelines, and infidelities under oath, Charles Spencer ultimately backed down. To prevent her testimony from becoming public record, he hastily agreed to a massive £2 million settlement and other things just moments before Chantal and Victoria were scheduled to testify. Earl Spencer was very disrespectful to Princess Diana in life and even in death. I also feel so sorry for how badly he treated his first wife Victoria Lockwood.