John Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer

Edward John "Johnnie" Spencer, 8th Earl Spencer, MVO (24 January 1924 – 29 March 1992), styled Viscount Althorp until 1975, was a British peer and the father of Diana, Princess of Wales.

Early life, education and military career
Lord Spencer was born Edward John Spencer, the son of Albert Spencer, 7th Earl Spencer on 24 January 1924. He was educated at Eton, the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, and the Royal Agricultural College. A Captain in the Royal Scots Greys, Lord Spencer fought in the Second World War from 1944 to 1945, and was Mentioned in Despatches. From 1947 to 1950, Lord Spencer served as Aide-de-Camp to then-Governor of South Australia, Willoughby Norrie.

Politics and royal service
Lord Spencer held the offices of County Councillor for Northamptonshire (1952), High Sheriff of Northamptonshire (1959) and Justice of the Peace for Norfolk (1970). He served as Equerry to King George VI (1950–52) and to Queen Elizabeth II (1952–54), and was invested as a member of the Royal Victorian Order (M.V.O.) in 1954. Until 1975 he was Lord Althorp and became the 8th Earl Spencer upon his father's death in 1975.

Family life
On 1 June 1954 Lord Spencer and Frances Ruth Roche, the younger daughter of the 4th Baron Fermoy, were married in Westminster Abbey by Percy Herbert, Bishop of Norwich. Queen Elizabeth and other British royals attended wedding ceremony. They had five children:


 * Lady Sarah McCorquodale (born 19 March 1955), married Neil Edmund McCorquodale on 17 May 1980 and had issue.
 * Jane Fellowes, Baroness Fellowes (born 11 February 1957), married Robert Fellowes, Baron Fellowes in March 1978 and had issue.
 * John Spencer (12 January 1960), died within ten hours of his birth.
 * Diana, Princess of Wales (1 July 1961 – 31 August 1997), married Charles, Prince of Wales on 29 July 1981 and had issue.
 * Charles Spencer, 9th Earl Spencer (born 20 May 1964), married firstly Victoria Lockwood from 1989 to 1997 and had issue, married secondly Caroline Hutton from 2001 to 2007 and had issue, and married thirdly Karen Villeneuve on 18 June 2011 and had issue.

Lord Spencer and Frances were separated in April 1969. Frances later married Peter Shand Kydd and Lord Spencer married Raine, Countess of Dartmouth on 14 July 1976, the former wife of the 9th Earl of Dartmouth, and the daughter and only child of the romantic novelist Barbara Cartland and Alexander McCorquodale.

Titles and styles

 * 24 January 1924 – 9 June 1975: The Honourable Viscount Althorp
 * 9 June 1975 – 29 March 1992: The Right Honourable The Earl Spencer

Death
John Spencer entered Humana Wellington Hospital on 21 March 1992 with pneumonia. He died of a heart attack at the hospital on 29 March 1992. He was 68.