Charles Spencer reveals he was sexually abused at age 11
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- Опубліковано 10 бер 2024
- Charles Spencer, Princess Diana’s brother, is causing shockwaves with the details in his new book, “A Very Private School,” that alleges abuse against children attending the all-boys boarding school Maidwell Hall. He opens up to NBC’s Cynthia McFadden in an TODAY exclusive about his own trauma. Warning: Some of what he shares is deeply upsetting.
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#charlesspencer #princessdiana #england
Just because a person grows up with privilege does not mean a person is protected from abuse. It is very disturbing. Parents think their children are in good hands, and they are being abused. I’m glad he had the courage to speak out about this.
yep! and privileged people often receive more prejudice than the average Joe...it's all an illusion.
My uncle went to an all-boys private boarding school (in a Commonwealth country, the school was run by the British) and the stories he told me were shocking, profoundly heartbreaking and infuriating. These types of schools need strict and rigorous monitoring to protect students, far more than the day-schools. All-girls boarding schools were not much better.
100% , I personally never trusted anyone with my children,not even family ! I grew up seeing what can happen when no one is paying attention !
Members of family are also abusers. Who would think there mother was sexually abusing their grandchild
And to think Diana did this to him, too. It's just all so awful.
Proud of him for telling his story. It’s not easy.
Before anyone spoke about such things, predators had it so easy, especially in boarding schools. Awful
and families
And the female ones especially.
True. You hear people say it is happening more often now. No, we are only hearing about it more often now due to the Internet.
In one ‘s own family as well as in a church environment.
Catholic schools. Evil.
Why separate children from their family at an age when they are not prepared in any way to protect themselves from malignant bullying or sexually inappropriate behavior of others?
Boarding schools
1. Brits
2. No maternal/paternal instinct
3. Societal pressure to have a child/children
This can also happen when kids have nannies/ go to nurseries.
Their british, once it was important for them to be brutal to run an empire. Now not so much.
@ainekearney9041 it's more about social class or this was the case once. Nothing to do with being British at all. The vast majority of Brits don't and haven't gone to boarding school. These are norms reserved for the upper class and aristocratic families. I assume they thought boarding school would make "men" out of these boys. Sort of training to be like their fathers and grandfathers. And it would have been the norm simply because their fathers, brothers, uncles had all also gone to boarding school... often the same boarding school. And yes, as someone else commented - there was pressure to have children if you married into one of these families. Women were unprepared to be maternal and it was not allowed. The norm amongst the upper-class was to have a nanny and then boarding school. So even fathers couldn't protect their children. Even if the parents had experienced the same abuse - which was probably common.... It would have been unfortunately a sort of normal that isn't spoken about. As he says they were encouraged not to "tell tales". Men in general, the world over have more historically been encouraged to bottle up emotion and keep secrets to themselves. Anything else would be considered unmanly. And amongst anyone who has suffered abuse, abusers always instill the fear in their victims that they will never be believed.
My heart goes out to all the boys now men who were tortured and abused. Anyone responsible who is still alive must be brought to justice. Such courage to tell his story
I'm so sorry, Charles. You are brave enough to speak out.
Thank you.
@@markentwist
Yes, and the increase in revenue from Althorp tours.
@@harshanid3636 yes. They like these other titled families with giant estates to support (and fewer crowds willing to pay high fees to tour) are in need of money. Book and book tour soon. This was the first PR move. I pray the poor man is serious about moving forward toward ACCOUNTABILITY and will not protect the school where this happened.
Like Harry, Charles is speaking his truth.
@@Noelpage9569Harry is spewing his lies
Parents protect your kids. It only takes one time to damage a child's life. Don't trust anyone with your child.
You are so right 😢
But TV, social media is ok for children. ok
Social workers & therapists often push parents to let their kids visit other friends' homes. There, your children are often unsupervised. The price of freedom 😢😢
Don't even trust close relatives
they themselves can be abusers too. God protect all children of the world
This gives even more sense to the fact that Princess Diana decided that her children would not be sent boarding school. Good for her and the Spencers
Eton is a boarding school. Check your facts.
@@bearkiels9032 Charles Spencer was sent to boarding school when he was 8 years old, Prince William was 13. That´s a 5 year difference. And a world of difference between a child and a teenager
This is so important for awareness. Many boys suffering in silence .Thank you Sir.
girls too
Yes they do...and because it is another male in most cases they struggle with their sexuality....
I like your comment ...I was abused ...
U can totally tell who was and wasn't by comments...
I think he is showing us ...status doesn't matter...peodafiles have no preference with that and I think think Charles is so brave to do this...I admire him for it....
I'm not a Brit so don't really get the social standing on all things British but I do get that abuse is abuse...a child is a child...money can't save or fix anything so it's irrelevant
Terribly disturbing truth. Raise your children at home. They are no trophies. 😢😢.
Yes.
Yes let’s wrap them in cotton wool and protect them from a breath of wind or we can teach our children that they can stand up to such people, they can talk to their parents about such things, it’s very very wrong that such things happen, unfortunately it happens almost everywhere, people need to keep their eyes open and just talk to their kids, when theres the bond that should be there between kids and parents or grand parents ( be honest not all kids have it, Charles shows that) then we’ve the possibility to protect them
@@expatmooseboarding schools should never have been invented. It’s nothing to do with wrapping them in cotton wool. It’s about looking after your own kids and not give them away to school so you can have a break from them! You choose to have kids so it’s your responsibility to look after them. Not to send them away.
@@startracker5895 I never mentioned that boarding schools are wrapping In Cotton wool, I was referring to the comment of keeping them home, kids have to learn to be independent, we can not take that away but like I mentioned in my comment and I think we both agree that parents are responsible for making their kids strong and alert to protect them from the likes of the those who feel themselves in authority to damage a child, if you put you hand on your heart I bet you could tell me at least 10 times when you ve been out and about in the last 20 years(depending on your age) that you’ve seen parents daddling on the phone instead of paying attention to their child/ren,,,, I’m not saying they should pamper every whim god forbid but some parents need to pay more attention, they may then find out from their children’s behavior if/when somethings wrong,,,, a child should also never ever feel scared to talk to their parents, obviously Charles was,,, that’s wrong imo
Are you aware that MUCH of the time, the abusers ARE in the familiy???? EVIL people can have children!
This is the saddest thing I’ve heard in a long, long time and it goes to show you, even the privileged are not safe from predators & abusers . He’s very strong and brave for exposing the evildoers.
This is a really good example of how abuse can become a culture within an institution. Normal people facilitate child abuse with their silence. He also encapsulates the feelings of guilt, confusion and self blame that the victims go through. I hope more people come forward.
I get furious when I hear of child abuse. Leave the kids alone!!!
We don't need no education😅
I wonder why Earl Spencer didn't title his book "Just another brick in the wall...."
If he was abused, there's a high probability that the same could have happened to Diana.
I think so too . 😢😢😢
It would certainly explain a lot.
I thought the same thing
My exact thought. It would explain why Diana had a history of eating disorder . 😢
😢😢😢
Unfortunately this is all too common and not just in boys schools.
Churches, schools, inside their own home, by relatives. It is common, unfortunately.
It's demonic and it's everywhere. 😢
I think people forget how much upper class people can suffer. Often brought up by Nannies, shown little love from their families and exposed to private school paedos. This is very sad and he is brave to speak out ❤
These are not public school by any means. They are incredibly expensive private schools.
@@blahblah4129In the UK, for some reason, private schools are called public schools.
@@blahblah4129 Public schools charge fees and state schools are government funded in the UK.
I would guess that children who might have spoken out would not be believed. Or if they WERE believed, the offenders were quickly dismissed and sent out of reach. It does make me wonder how the institutions managed to keep the victims quiet.
* nannies
Well done Charles Spencer for speaking out. It sounds truly shocking 👍💚
Boarding school is vile. No child should be torn away from its parents before age 16 at least, in my opinion. I was not even abused at mine, but leaving my family at the age of 11 was miserable and traumatic enough to mark me for life. My parents loved me, their intentions were good, they had been through the same experience themselves, and I had a good education. However, I am 60 this year and only a few years ago did I stop having recurring, anxiety-riven dreams of being stuck alone in the dormitory. I can't begin to imagine what it would have been like being abused on top of that. Children should stay with their parents and go to day schools.
This took a lot of courage for Charles to come forward with his abuse
I am thankful he is speaking out. My boarding school years still haunt me to this day. British private boarding schools need to be shut down. When my son was born I was adamant he would never be exposed to what I’d endured and boarding school was on the banned list! It’s very painful to talk about and the visible and invisible scars NEVER fade or leave.
Agree.boarding should be illegal!
I am so proud of Charles for telling his story.
*I’m glad to hear him opening up about such a taboo issue.*
The blame should start with the parents. I too was sent to boarding school at 8 about that time. I was bullied mercilessly as were others. I believe it scars you for life. I only had 2 years but would pray every night that God would take me to heaven in the night.
That's awful. I'm so sorry 😢
I'm so sad that a child had to experience what you described. Blessings 😢
I love this guy he fought for his sister and nephews when no one else wouldn’t
Sure... he denied his sister a place in his home on her last summer, to enjoy quiet holidays with the boys without the nosy press. He had agreed and at the last moment he said no. She then accepted to go to Dodi's yacht.
Unfortunately that was a lie.
@@helenan7368. Right. I believe they weren’t on speaking terms at the time of her death.
He didn't get on with Diana. FACT.
Absolute rubbish
It doesn't matter if one grows up with extreme privilege. You still can receive sympathy for having to endure such a horrible trauma.
Agree. Everyone has a trauma, just a different kind.
This is shocking. Who'd have believed this could possibly happen. It's good he is talking.
Having visited Altorp , many years ago ,It gave me an insight into grandour of emptiness, How could their Mother leave at a time when they needed her most. Sadly she put her own needs first,and let her children down...Heartless he didn't have the love and Comfort.
Very Honest Man! Now he has found love in the Arms of a Beautiful woman, ❤
That’s why most people don’t send their children to boarding school unfortunately. It’s still going on. It is important for Charles to share this because there has to be a way to protect children from these horrors.
Unless Charles accuses those who were to blame, none of this does any good for anyone else.
@@MTknitter22they’re probably all dead now anyway.
I'm sure I saw an interview in which they were named but the monsters are dead. Hopefully more speak up
Why will parents send Thier Children boarding school??why have them in the first place? And give them a miserable life
That's sad. He lost his sister in such a public way, and then this. ❤ He's brave!
😢
he said he also vomited like his sister
@@lynnhubbard844He also said that this was caused by the abuse he was enduring.
I am grateful for Spencer’s honesty in sharing his trauma and I hope this will help others to get therapy for their own trauma.
Charles is truly brave to tell what he went through i hope this will help other male survivors
much respect for opening up. traumatising
Charles Spencer is incredibly courageous in speaking out.
I’m very proud of him for coming out and revealing his truth. You’ll help many people with this brave story!
Thank you for coming forward.
I’m a survivor and as horrific as this is it makes me feel somehow better that even the queen’s godson isn’t immune. I’m horrified this happened to him and can’t imagine the compounded trauma of all the erasure I’m sure he’s faced - my trauma is more about my family’s utter failure to care than about the actual assaults - but it does mean a lot to know that it isn’t just people in the gutters getting abused and thrown away. It happens to royalty too.
Society is sick.
The root of this is demonic. They pass from perpetrator to the victim during the act.
They latch on to the person and subtly manipulate them in a multitude of ways.
Most who do this have had the same experience. Some cry bc they dont want to do it but they can't stop.
I watch Alex Rosen who becomes Gordon Flowers and does an amazing job.
People need to know that demons exist. This is not normal human behavior.
Dr. GABOR MATE, SPEAKS WORDS OF WISDOM AND INSIGHT INTO THE EFFECTS OF EARLY CHILDHOOD TRAUMA, the death of innocence at an early age followed by the abandonment of parents and teachers kills the spirit. God bless the child that's got his own. Protect the children.
Such bravery speaking out
I ADMIRE YOUR COURAGE TO TALK. VERY PROUD OF YOU.
Perpetrators NOT BEING NAMED, school not being named and so, THEY CONTINUE TO GET AWAY WITH IT. There is no speaking out to help others, etc. without fighting for ACCOUNTABILITY. Spencer not outting who and where and when does NOTHING.
@@MTknitter22 Very true. In his position, it would cause more harm than good and the perps are probably dead and judged. I get your valid point 100% x
Earl Spencer is very brave to do this. Child abuse needs to stop on this planet. God bless him.
It took a lot of courage for Charles Spencer to come forward with his story.
My heart goes out to the victims of these horrible crimes. May God Bless them & touch with His healing power & grace.
This explains a lot about what happened at boarding schools and indigenous children.
Protective Services' oversight of public as well as private institutions has to be the law. This abuse is all too common. Schools, orphanages, and nursing homes come with a gross history of institutional neglect and abuse. It's shocking!
I doubt this happened btw
Anyone born in a country is indigenous
I am so sad that this happened to you and all the other children. Be proud that you had the courage and vulnerability to share your story, it will help others, so they too can go on a journey of healing and reclaim the broken parts of themselves. I have the deepest admiration for you.
Poor man... it used to be so common in those schools. I hope he's had time to heal as best as he can.
I think its called acceptance rather than healing.
This may be part of what has motivated the Princess of Wales to buck the system about George being sent off to school in the next year or two. Earl Spencer should be commended publically for speaking up and naming names.
This is so terribly sad.
Absolutely disgusting!! But the parents are to blame here. How can you leave your small children in the care of strangers?
No blaming. It's a lifestyle. Little Prince was just sent away to school while Mama was missing. Affection is for the birds.
This could happen to anyone anywhere. Hospital doctors and nurses, teachers, instructors etc. it happened to a girl here by a karate instructor, I don’t blame the parents it’s just things you never expect. You just always have to teach your child to communicate and know right from wrong
@jules1728 You're joking, right? You're going to compare taking your child to a regular school, the doctor's office, etc to literally sending away your child to a boarding school where you basically have no contact with them, especially back in those days. You are literally handing your child over. Don't compare. That's just stupid.
It's a cold-hearted British culture. These boarding schools also exist in the States, especially common in the north-east.
Most parent do that nearly every day. We leave them with Kindergarten teachers, school teachers, school bus drivers, trainers, coaches, etc.
I’ve always felt a connection to Diana, since we had similar childhood experiences. It doesn’t matter if you have more money, abuse and being abandoned by your Mother is something that separates you from the “Norm.” I had no idea what Charles endured. I’m so sick of abusers, they can be your Managers too! I hope people start reporting abuse and stop suffering in silence.
I know exactly how he feels. Profound trauma...Bless him for opening up this way ❤
We can see Mr Spencer pouring out His Heart for Children....Very touching.....Maybe the start of something....THANK YOUUUU....TOGETHER IN OUR HEARTSSS AND PRAYERS FOREVER 🙏 💞 💖
I can't believe parents send their children to boarding school. Why even have them if you're not going to raise them yourself. Its absolutely a terrible tradition especially in Britain.
Thank you for sharing your story, Charles Spencer
This happened to my brother, he was sent to boarding school in North Wales, during 1970's. He started there aged 8 years old because that's what male members of the family did. He never told me about the abuse, I found out via someone else, many years later, when he took his own life. I think boarding schools are expensive orphanages and they shouldn't be allowed to operate. They harbour paedo's , who rule through violence and fear. Thank- You to Lord Spencer, for being so courageous and making this public and therefore not a hidden secret. I hope that by speaking out, you will make these predators, afraid !
I am sorry for your loss.
I'm sorry about your brother ...I'm a 52 year old woman...I was 10 and not in an institution....but I teared up when I got to the part that your brother took his own life... it is commendable that you are being his voice...sending peace and love ....may your brother r.i.p
This happened in the 70's so there probably all dead. Its too bad he didn't speak up earlier but sadly there is a taboo about talking about SA. My own family has disowned me for speaking about my own abuse by a family member!
I'm so pleased you had therapy. It's disgusting what you had to go through as a developing child. I pray no other child has to experience it bc you had the guts to tell your story. Kudos.
I'm sorry he experienced that but glad he has exposed the problem. Charles was a bit of a tearaway as a youngster - he and his young friends used to get into fist fights and what not. Pent up frustrations no doubt.
Unfortunately there is xxxual/physical/psychological abuse in all institutions be they boarding schools, prisons, nunneries or church schools, etc.
Paedos and sadists will gravitate to such places. Unfortunately!
Also police and clubs with children
Well done to speak up. I wish more would!
There aren't enough words to express how sad I am to know that he and others were subjected to such treatment. Tears are streaming down my face. How frightening! I feel a real sense of grief for him. I'm glad though, that he was able to seek out therapy. I pray that this wound has healed.
🙏💙
The wounds never heal. They affect the person for a lifetime.
He seems very down to earth for an aristocrat. Good on him. 😊
Like Diana!
I am very sorry to hear. 😢
Just listening to to this just making me cry I'm so sorry you went through this my heart is broken for you😢😢😢😢
My daughter was sexually abused by her father , my ex husband for over a year when she was 9 /10. She told me when she was 16 . Hes now in prison. Shes left traumatized and deeply affected . This will affect her her whole life Why do people do this to kids. I dont get it.
Part of the blame goes to the abomination that is the p..rn industry. Some, not all cases.
Is your keyboard missing the apostrophe? 😩
Did you not see anything odd???
Well done for believing her, so many women choose to believe their partner.
My daughter was abused by her cousin on numerous occasions, and I also believe by her father… my ex husband. It was away from my presence. So I couldn’t protect her.
There’s generational CSA within that family.
She’s never been right even as an adult.
God bless him and anyone else who went through this ❤
Hats off to any man or woman who speaks out and exposes this terrible tragedy so many children suffer all over the world 🌎
And continue to suffer when "victims" keep it to themselves.
It is very possible Diana was also abused.
Wouldn’t be surprised as she was so troubled even before she was married. Eating disorders and self harming.
This would explain many of Diana's behavior. The stress brought out many troubles from her past and no one knew why she was acting that way.
And then her husband treated her terribly for it.
@@lorimiller4301 I knew! I work with abuse survivors. People didn't "know" because the media and people in POWER didn't want them to know!
😮
ANY environments that are isolated, unaccountable, and don’t have proper channels for reporting abuse are hunting grounds for predators. Thankfully it seems like many of these situations are finally coming out of the shadows.
He let that ferment inside for 30 years? Omg.
Average years someone from that era... I am one ...born in 72....
We didn't have a choice...it was taboo...
It's hard and isolating to live with....omg yes...shocking but true and common
Terrible like all children who have been abused, full of shame and robbed of their childhood innocence.
My dad was at a boarding school from a very young age. He's told us about the abuse that went on there.
It’s extremely sad. I hope he’s healed.
It’s helpful that men are speaking up
Are any of those predators still around? If so, justice can still be served. It's horrendous to think that some grown woman is forcing herself upon an 11-year old boy. Just think of the confusion and dysfunction she planted in his head - which follows him around to this day.
Maidwell Hall is an all boys boarding school. Male teachers, male instructors, male staff.
It's not a little red jacket - It's a blazer worn as part of a school uniform
So heartless of parents to send their 8 year old to boarding schools. Who does that to their child? Unable to see if they are smiling at the end of the day.
No running home with paintings for Mummy to stick on the fridge and given a thank you cuddle before tea.
So powerful.Brave soul, Charles.Thank you.
Sad, I hope Mr. Spencer has found some peace!
How horrific, sorry for what happened to you as a young boy 🙏🙏🙏
This is why no matter how elite an education supposedly is, when you have groups of vulnerable children there are always predators nearby. Other children can also be predators. It shouldn’t be shocking, but thankfully people, and more men in positions of power are coming forward to warn of these abuses. He’s done us a huge service and I hope he feels that way, I hope all survivors feel that way when they share their story.
A brave man to come forward.
50 years later.
He should name & shame the person and put a LAWSUIT on them. Not right he hasn't outed the man. He probably went on to abuse thousands of young boys as he has never been outed, named & shamed he's had no repurcussions, accountability
May even be ded by now but should be named.
He did name one of them, he said it was the school headmaster who was a wicked p*d* @@silentnight9655
Maybe you should watch the video before commenting. He says it was a woman.
It's a woman i think a lot of people think only men abuse or boys enjoy it when their abused by females not to say thats what you were saying but just to put out men can be victims too
@@Xiroi87 also the headmaster
It's good that he came out and said these things it will help this generation and other Generations speak about the horrors of going to boarding school. And that's exactly it the best love is from Mom and Dad sending your kids away to school is a nightmare it's time to create family again
So sad and very sick.😢
I could never send my child away at that young age, OMG, NO.😪.
it's common 'knowledge' but rarely confirmed -- well done for speaking up.
Bravo, thank you for sharing your story!
I can’t say I’m surprised! Boarding schools raising your children is no different than orphanages for a higher social demographic. Also no different from the catholic schools where many of the priests abused the children. Those type of individuals go where they can feed their sick behavior & stay undercover as long as possible. Sounds like Mr. Spencer is getting the help he needs cuz he speaking out.. and speaking your truth in whatever way you can so the abuse no longer has control over you is part of the healing process. Speaking from my own personal journey 🤷♀️ Much love Mr Spencer from a fellow survivor ❤
Why is anyone surprised that this happened? Remember King George’s experience?
no, what was it?
@@katjaxxx7353 His nanny was abusing him which ultimately led to his stutter.
@@MNP208wow! I didn’t know that and I’ve watched plenty documentaries about the royals. Do you have the link please?
@@Wowwwzaaa Apparently his nanny would pinch the heck out of him right before his parents, George V & Queen Mary, would meet the kids each day cuz she wanted them to be repelled by his constant crying or to show off how he would stop crying when she soothed him [by stopping the pinch.] Lady Colin Campbell wrote about it in great detail in her book about his wife "The Queen Mother" also there's a film about his stuttering called "The King's Speech" which I've not seen and may detail the cause of his stutter.
This has been talked about for decades.
Charles Spencer and Lady Diana were the youngest children and were living with their Mother in London for one year when she left their Father and the other daughters. She married and moved to Australia in 1969 when they were little, so their Father an alcoholic couldn't raise them properly and that's why Charles was send to boarding scholl. They had a disfunction family. Their maternal grandmother tertified against her own daughter during their divorce and she had to leave her children behind. That also explain why Lady Diana wanted her boys to grow up differently!
I feel sorry for Charles Spencer !
Very brave to speak out. It happens everywhere in every society and all types of schools and homes.
Absolutely horrible and disgusting!! Poor Charles and the rest of the boys.🙏
As a mother I cannot imagine sending my child off to boarding school at age 8, have never understood this practice. I am convinced that a loving middle class childhood is still the best way for children to grow up.
Thank you for sharing. Bless you🙏
there were many abused and still are
Someone I know that went to boarding school in England and he said that the first year he was there, he was about 7 years old and the first 6 weeks they aren’t even allowed to call their parents. That’s the rule so that the transition is “easier”. I couldn’t believe it! I mean could a predator ask for better circumstances?
Touchy-feely happens everywhere. Tell a trusted person.
Thank you Charles for being so courageous and speaking up about this heinous crime, this will help so many others to come forward, talk about it and get help to heal, especially the men!
50 years too late. How many other boys lost their innocence while Charles Spencer kept silent.
So sorry Charles much healing from another survivor 🙏🏾
Great for speaking out..👏👏👏👏
Very courageous..candid...how very sad..did Diana know?
i thought that was mandatory for upper crust as they make better mind control agents
once they go into government or business ...they already have an emotional disconnection from humanity
This is, unfortunately, often very true.
Hollywood too.
So sad.
This interviewer seems a bit unhinged. Maybe take some harm reduction training??
Thanks for sorting that out for me.
At his age coming out with this. A multimillionaire should have had vengeance as a young man !! If it was my son those guys wouldn't have walked around for long