Raine Spencer, Countess Spencer

Raine Spencer, Countess Spencer (née McCorquodale), was born on 9 September 1929 in Mayfair, London. She was the only child of novelist and socialite Barbara Cartland and Alexander George McCorquodale, an Army officer and heir to a printing fortune. Her parents divorced in 1936, and her mother subsequently married Hugh McCorquodale, Alexander’s cousin, with whom she had two sons, Ian and Glen.

In 1947, at age 18, Raine McCorquodale was introduced into London high society as a debutante. She was named debutante of the year and became engaged to Gerald Humphry Legge, heir to the earldom of Dartmouth. They married on 21 July 1948. Gerald Legge assumed the courtesy title Viscount Lewisham in 1958 and became the 9th Earl of Dartmouth in 1962. They had four children: William Legge (born 23 September 1949), who later became the 10th Earl of Dartmouth; the Hon. Rupert Legge (born 1 January 1953); Lady Charlotte Legge (born 16 July 1963); and the Hon. Henry Legge (born 28 December 1968).

Raine became politically active after her marriage, serving as the youngest member of Westminster City Council as a Conservative. She also sat on various committees related to town planning, parks, and personnel, and represented Lewisham South on the London County Council, later on the Greater London Council, with particular interest in environmental planning and preservation of historic buildings. She chaired the Covent Garden Development Committee and contributed to the UK delegation at the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm.

In 1973, Raine began an affair with John Spencer, Viscount Althorp, a colleague on an architectural heritage committee. Her marriage to Gerald Legge ended in divorce in 1976. On 14 July 1976, she married Viscount Althorp, who would later become the 8th Earl Spencer. With this marriage, she acquired the title Countess Spencer. The couple's relationship with her stepchildren, including Diana, Princess of Wales, was reported as strained; her stepdaughter reportedly referred to her as “Acid Raine.”

In 1978, Earl Spencer suffered a brain hemorrhage; Raine took part in his care and recovery. Following his illness, she engaged in renovations at Althorp, the Spencer family estate, which faced criticism due to the loss of historic treasures and the style of decoration. She and Earl Spencer maintained an opulent lifestyle, often entertaining and traveling. She was present at the 1981 wedding of Diana to Prince Charles but was not seated with the royal family during the event.

After Earl Spencer’s death on 29 March 1992, Raine was reportedly expelled from Althorp by her stepchildren, with Prince Charles’s wife Diana present during the separation. Her belongings, including her extensive wardrobe, were confiscated. She inherited approximately £4 million and a townhouse in London’s Mayfair.

In July 1993, Raine married Count Jean-François Pineton de Chambrun, a French aristocrat descended from the Marquis de La Fayette and related to the Roosevelt family. The marriage lasted until 1995, when the couple divorced. Her wedding to the Count was criticized in Britain, and Diana and her siblings did not attend.

Later in life, Raine reportedly reconciled with Diana during her divorce from Prince Charles, and they were seen together on occasion. She provided testimony at the inquest into Diana’s death in December 2007, reflecting on her relationship with her stepdaughter. Raine Spencer served on the board of Harrods and occasionally worked there. Her principal residence was in Mayfair, London.

Raine Spencer died on 21 October 2016 at the age of 87 after a short illness. Her funeral was not attended by any members of her family. Several months after her death, her belongings were auctioned at Christie's, raising nearly £1.9 million. She was interred at North Sheen Cemetery, where a headstone was erected in 2021.