Earl Spencer's fourth wedding caught some of his children off guard, insiders have claimed.
The 62-year-old brother of the late Princess Diana exchanged vows with Norwegian archaeologist Cat Jarman, 44, during a private ceremony in Arizona last Friday.
However, it is thought that some of his seven children only discovered the news afterwards.
"They found out via a text," a family friend claimed to the Daily Mail.
Earl Charles Spencer’s children ‘found out about his fourth wedding via text’
|GETTY / CAITLYN JENNINGS
GB News has contacted the Earl and the new Countess for comment.
The couple married in Sedona, with Cathedral Rock providing a backdrop to their intimate nuptials.
Their marriage follows the finalisation of Earl Spencer's divorce from his third wife, Canadian Karen Gordon, which was completed in February.
Earl Spencer and Countess Cat Spencer's romance blossomed from professional beginnings.
Cat Jarman and Earl Charles Spencer pictured in Arizona for their wedding
|CAITLYN JENNINGS
The pair first crossed paths when the earl was commissioned to review her 2021 bestseller River Kings, which explored Viking history.
Their connection deepened when Ms Jarman led archaeological excavations at his Althorp estate, searching for traces of a lost medieval village and Roman remains.
The couple began dating two years ago and have since collaborated on numerous projects, including co-hosting The Rabbit Hole Detectives podcast alongside Reverend Richard Coles.
In a joint statement released on Tuesday, the newlyweds said: "We both feel so incredibly lucky to have progressed from being colleagues, to friendship, to deep love and connection.
Cat Jarman is the new Countess Spencer
|CAITLYN JENNINGS
"Each stage of our relationship has been underpinned by laughter and we share a passion for life."
For her wedding day, Ms Jarman chose an unconventional powder blue Grecian-style gown with a plunging V-neckline and flowing skirt, paired with gold platform heels and a matching pendant necklace.
Her blonde hair was arranged in a braided updo, while her bouquet incorporated blue accents to complement the dress.
Earl Spencer described the occasion on Instagram as "the happiest day ever," adding: "A very close friend said to me, months ago: 'The thing about Cat is, she'd want to be with you if you lived in a hut.' Little did I know she'd also be happy to marry me in a desert."
(Left to Right) Lady Amelia Spencer, Lady Kitty Spencer and Lady Eliza Spencer attended the Centrepoint Awards 2024
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The newlyweds remained in Arizona for their honeymoon, sharing footage of horseback riding through desert landscapes before Earl Spencer returned to Althorp this week.
Ms Jarman now holds the title of Countess Spencer, becoming the fourth woman to bear that distinction through marriage to the Earl.
Earl Spencer's first marriage to model Victoria Lockwood lasted from 1989 to 1997, producing four children: Lady Kitty, twins Lady Eliza and Lady Amelia, and Viscount Louis. Prince Harry served as a pageboy at their wedding.
His second union with Caroline Freud, whom he had known since their Oxford days, yielded two children, Edmund and Lara, before ending after six years.
With Karen Gordon, whom he married in 2011, Earl Spencer has a daughter, Charlotte Diana. Ms Jarman herself has two sons from her previous marriage to Tom Jarman.