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Three Times a Countess: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Raine Spencer
TELEGRAPH 50 BEST BOOKS OF 2022
THE UNTOLD STORY OF PRINCESS DIANA'S STEPMOTHER
'A sparkling biography of a fascinating woman' - Lynn Barber, Telegraph *****
'Gaudoin's book is revealing and hugely entertaining. Highly recommended.' - Daily Mail
'Gaudoin tells these delicious stories with brio' - Sunday Times
Debutante of the year. Able politician. Femme fatale. Just some of the many labels attached to the irrepressible, controversial Raine Countess, socialite and stepmother to Diana, Princess of Wales. But who was the real Raine? What was hidden behind the immaculately manicured public façade and her overwhelmingly negative tabloid image?
From her childhood days as daughter of romantic novelist powerhouse, Barbara Cartland, to Westminster councillor and wife of Earl Spencer, Three Times a Countess recounts Raine's compelling and glamorous life, revealing her to be a powerful, accomplished woman who, after a tumultuous relationship, reconciled with Diana to become the Princess's closest confidante and a key witness at the inquest into her death.
To her friends, Raine was shrewd, intelligent, witty and loyal; to her enemies, pushy, overly flamboyant and ruthless. From a career spanning local politics to dealing with the fortunes of Althorp; from taking on the Spencer family estate to her final role as a board member at Harrods, Raine's life was, by any standards, a success . Yet she could not sway the powerful media narrative which pitted her as 'the evil stepmother' at every turn.
A societal whirl of London Seasons, family feuds, politics, pomp and 'big hair', Gaudoin's vibrant history of the Countess sets the record straight once and for all, drawing insight from those who knew Raine most. Three Times a Countess reveals a sophisticated, determined woman whose loyalty knew no bounds and whose cache of secrets would have worried even the most upright of royals.
THE UNTOLD STORY OF PRINCESS DIANA'S STEPMOTHER
'A sparkling biography of a fascinating woman' - Lynn Barber, Telegraph *****
'Gaudoin's book is revealing and hugely entertaining. Highly recommended.' - Daily Mail
'Gaudoin tells these delicious stories with brio' - Sunday Times
Debutante of the year. Able politician. Femme fatale. Just some of the many labels attached to the irrepressible, controversial Raine Countess, socialite and stepmother to Diana, Princess of Wales. But who was the real Raine? What was hidden behind the immaculately manicured public façade and her overwhelmingly negative tabloid image?
From her childhood days as daughter of romantic novelist powerhouse, Barbara Cartland, to Westminster councillor and wife of Earl Spencer, Three Times a Countess recounts Raine's compelling and glamorous life, revealing her to be a powerful, accomplished woman who, after a tumultuous relationship, reconciled with Diana to become the Princess's closest confidante and a key witness at the inquest into her death.
To her friends, Raine was shrewd, intelligent, witty and loyal; to her enemies, pushy, overly flamboyant and ruthless. From a career spanning local politics to dealing with the fortunes of Althorp; from taking on the Spencer family estate to her final role as a board member at Harrods, Raine's life was, by any standards, a success . Yet she could not sway the powerful media narrative which pitted her as 'the evil stepmother' at every turn.
A societal whirl of London Seasons, family feuds, politics, pomp and 'big hair', Gaudoin's vibrant history of the Countess sets the record straight once and for all, drawing insight from those who knew Raine most. Three Times a Countess reveals a sophisticated, determined woman whose loyalty knew no bounds and whose cache of secrets would have worried even the most upright of royals.
336 pages, Paperback
Published January 30, 2024
43 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
March 12, 2023
Interesting book about Diana's stepmother and her life
August 31, 2024
What an amazing lady Raine Spencer was! This book really surprised me. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about her colourful life. Her loyalty to Princess Diana after years of being out in the cold and her kindness and determination to do good and be a faithful friend. Yes she had a very rich full life, but she definitely worked hard for it too. A great read +++
June 8, 2024
I honestly only borrowed this book because I listened to an episode of “You’re Wrong About” which covered Princess Diana, where they revealed that Diana pushed her stepmother down the stairs. It’s an AMAZING episode, but that particular incident stuck out to me. It definitely challenged my view of Diana as the saint she’s often portrayed as in the media, and it piqued my interest about a woman Diana and her siblings called “Acid Raine” (I mean that’s cold but a good pun, especially for children).
This book was so interesting about people who I think are fundamentally weird and shouldn’t exist: nobility. I think Raine and her posh chums represent pretty much some of the aspects of society, as their existence is predicated on archaic, toxic and conservative systems and beliefs: inherited wealth, colonialism, weird ideas about eugenics while also marrying a lot of their relatives, classicism, encouraging a gross and weird marriage market instead of making themselves useful, the idleness of the wealthy (charity work is not a real job, sorry), fetishising sanguinity and royalty, etc.
I think what the author did really well is the demonstration of how how class in Britain changed, particularly after the Second World War, and why toffs are so weird: they refuse to relinquish the expectations and rules of the Victorian social code, which is drastically outdated and fundamentally conservative. It was almost a social history of post world war Britain and how that manifested in the changing shape of nobility and royalty, using Raine as a case study, of how a member of an increasingly obsolete social class managed to survive in a society increasingly hostile to social and economic inequity, no longer paying the same deference and respect that these aristocrats had come to expect.
This book also helped illuminate why the British government is absolutely run over with toffs, as the nobility believed part of their social responsibility was to perform acts of public and civil service. This meant posh jobs as MPs and councillors, not anything of practical use like becoming nurses, teachers, doctors or social workers. It was incredibly interesting to reflect on this, particularly as Raine was a local representative many times over for areas of London that enjoyed a radically different quality of life than herself, and could not even remotely relate to her constituents. She ate her dinner off paper plates when her butler had the night off. It’s easy to extrapolate this to the present state of politics, where privately educated and economically privileged MPs dominate British parliament (Sunak could seriously fund the NHS on his net worth alone).
The most fascinating parts were obviously the Diana bits (I was 6 when she died, and WHOO BOY the amount of nonsense the press and the royal family put her through) but this book offered so much more, and was so good at providing political context and history without being dry and didactic. I also have a lot of questions for King Charles, number one being how dare you.
This book was so interesting about people who I think are fundamentally weird and shouldn’t exist: nobility. I think Raine and her posh chums represent pretty much some of the aspects of society, as their existence is predicated on archaic, toxic and conservative systems and beliefs: inherited wealth, colonialism, weird ideas about eugenics while also marrying a lot of their relatives, classicism, encouraging a gross and weird marriage market instead of making themselves useful, the idleness of the wealthy (charity work is not a real job, sorry), fetishising sanguinity and royalty, etc.
I think what the author did really well is the demonstration of how how class in Britain changed, particularly after the Second World War, and why toffs are so weird: they refuse to relinquish the expectations and rules of the Victorian social code, which is drastically outdated and fundamentally conservative. It was almost a social history of post world war Britain and how that manifested in the changing shape of nobility and royalty, using Raine as a case study, of how a member of an increasingly obsolete social class managed to survive in a society increasingly hostile to social and economic inequity, no longer paying the same deference and respect that these aristocrats had come to expect.
This book also helped illuminate why the British government is absolutely run over with toffs, as the nobility believed part of their social responsibility was to perform acts of public and civil service. This meant posh jobs as MPs and councillors, not anything of practical use like becoming nurses, teachers, doctors or social workers. It was incredibly interesting to reflect on this, particularly as Raine was a local representative many times over for areas of London that enjoyed a radically different quality of life than herself, and could not even remotely relate to her constituents. She ate her dinner off paper plates when her butler had the night off. It’s easy to extrapolate this to the present state of politics, where privately educated and economically privileged MPs dominate British parliament (Sunak could seriously fund the NHS on his net worth alone).
The most fascinating parts were obviously the Diana bits (I was 6 when she died, and WHOO BOY the amount of nonsense the press and the royal family put her through) but this book offered so much more, and was so good at providing political context and history without being dry and didactic. I also have a lot of questions for King Charles, number one being how dare you.
May 28, 2025
A beautiful tribute...
Terribly well written. Tina Goudin has a very witty style of writing. Each decade begins with a brief historical introduction of the events that took place at that time. I confess that I was afraid that the book would wander too much on the topic and dramas of Diana, of whom I was never a big fan... But I was wrong and thank goodness.
It is a very impartial and straight to the point book. Countess Spencer (as she will be known forever) deserved a book that "de-villainze" her. As an aesthete and a fan of Raine's style, I was afraid that it would not mention certain details regarding her wardrobe or more juicy details, but no. At the perfevt timing, the writer provides us with the information we are looking for. I was somewhat disappointed with the photographs, as I think I already knew almost all of them.
Personally, I would have liked a bit more photos. I was hoping to find some that I was not familiar with. I wish the author had mentioned the posthumous auction and the reasons that led the family to sell even pieces of costume jewelry.
It didn't make much sense.
I would also like to know what happened to Raine's real estate, but at the end of the book this is not explained or discussed.
However, it is a fantastic and remarkable work. I devoured this book.
Raine Spencer was truly a Lady from a world that no longer exists. She was an icon. I think she felt like she lived in the 18th century court and her bouffant was the living proof of that.
Terribly well written. Tina Goudin has a very witty style of writing. Each decade begins with a brief historical introduction of the events that took place at that time. I confess that I was afraid that the book would wander too much on the topic and dramas of Diana, of whom I was never a big fan... But I was wrong and thank goodness.
It is a very impartial and straight to the point book. Countess Spencer (as she will be known forever) deserved a book that "de-villainze" her. As an aesthete and a fan of Raine's style, I was afraid that it would not mention certain details regarding her wardrobe or more juicy details, but no. At the perfevt timing, the writer provides us with the information we are looking for. I was somewhat disappointed with the photographs, as I think I already knew almost all of them.
Personally, I would have liked a bit more photos. I was hoping to find some that I was not familiar with. I wish the author had mentioned the posthumous auction and the reasons that led the family to sell even pieces of costume jewelry.
It didn't make much sense.
I would also like to know what happened to Raine's real estate, but at the end of the book this is not explained or discussed.
However, it is a fantastic and remarkable work. I devoured this book.
Raine Spencer was truly a Lady from a world that no longer exists. She was an icon. I think she felt like she lived in the 18th century court and her bouffant was the living proof of that.
December 15, 2022
A gossipy entertaining and interesting read looking at the life of Raine Spencer, known as acid rain to her step-children. This book however shows that Raine was more than a jewellery loving clothes horse. In her day she was involved in local politics ad was considered by many as a powerhouse when it came to getting things done. She was also seen as intelligent and cultured. Despite bad beginnings in the later years of princess Diana's life the two women became friends and Diana looked to Raine foe advice when needed. Interesting read.
February 2, 2023
It was interesting to hear more about Raine, a woman I really knew nothing about. The work she did was fascinating and her life post-Johnnie too. However, the author clearly has an agenda to get across. She is totally partisan in terms of the Royals and also British politics. She also included so much information about what was going on in the world at the time, which I personally don’t think you need. It was though she was trying to make up her wordcount.
September 7, 2024
There was a woman… this book is a fabulous recounting of Raine Cartland’s adventure filled life of hard work hard thinking and hard loving, this is the style of biography I enjoy.
This is the life of Raine, no co-stars, extra’s or the credited, only Raine, her life, homes, marriages, politics, good manners and energy.
Thank you for your collection of words Tina Goudain and Alix Dunmore your superb eloquence, very much appreciated Ladies (-:
This is the life of Raine, no co-stars, extra’s or the credited, only Raine, her life, homes, marriages, politics, good manners and energy.
Thank you for your collection of words Tina Goudain and Alix Dunmore your superb eloquence, very much appreciated Ladies (-:
November 12, 2022
A very entertaining book though there are absurd errors that the author or a fact checker should have known.
On page 40
Queen Victoria was not the daughter of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg. She was not the mother of George V. Further along though on page 160 Edwina Mountbatten is described as “one of America’s richest women.” She was British. And Diana is described as a brunette.
On page 40
Queen Victoria was not the daughter of the Duke of Saxe-Coburg. She was not the mother of George V. Further along though on page 160 Edwina Mountbatten is described as “one of America’s richest women.” She was British. And Diana is described as a brunette.
July 27, 2023
Raine Spencer was more than just Diana’s stepmother. A businesswoman and an interesting upbeat lady, I found this book to be really great. If anything it does paint Diana as being a royal pain in the arse.
May 8, 2024
What an extraordinary woman and life story. So much of 20th Century UK social history included. Well researched and written. Yes, I was biased to the extreme hair and doll likeness of the woman but it hid strength and grace in managing society and gender to create own power.
December 17, 2022
Biography of Raine Spencer, daughter of Barbara Cartland and step mother of Diana - got rid of a lot of nasty stories about her - she was a different, strong woman.
December 19, 2022
Really enjoyed reading this book, about this much maligned lady.
March 18, 2023
Raine, really was more than just daughter of Barbara, wife of Johnnie and stepmother of Diana. What a fascinating woman she was.
July 15, 2023
Chatty, interesting biography of Barbara Carter's daughter, Princess Diana's step mother, felt pretty biased.
November 18, 2023
A very interesting book, from start to finish. As I'd read the autobiography of Diana Soencer, some bits weren't new to me but definitely didn't spoil this book. An inspiring lady!
December 4, 2023
Absolutely loved it! Fascinating. So much I didn’t know - well worth reading!!!!
January 2, 2024
A page turner that does justice to the untold story of Raine and her accomplishments beyond the media nicknames and headlines.
October 10, 2023
If you’ve heard of her it’s probably because she was Princess Diana’s stepmother, but she was also the daughter of romantic novelist Barbara Cartland, a debutant of the year and had a career in politics as well as. I’m a Northamptonshire girl, so Althorp the ancestral home of the Spencer’s is just down the road from me and so I knew a bit more. The stories about the changes/renovations she made to the house have lingered, as has the fact that her Spencer step children called her Acid Raine. But that’s about it. So I picked this up to find out a bit more and see what the rest of the story was behind this.
And I now know a lot more about it all. It’s a really interesting life and a much more purposeful one than I was aware of. But this book is also so positive about her which is obviously the opposite of the stories that I had heard previously. And (again as a Northampton local) I spotted a couple of little errors that should have been picked up in fact checking. So now I want to go and find some more stuff about Raine to try and work out whether Raine’s legendary people skills have managed to seduce Gaudoin from beyond the grave in the research of this!
But it’s very readable - I read the whole thing in about four days (once you take the fact I didn't take it with me on holiday into account) - which is fast for me for a non-fiction paperback (because I don’t take physical books on my commute anymore now I’m schlepping a laptop around with me the whole time) and I’m now going to lend it to my mum who is much better on the local history than I am and will undoubtedly have a view on it all.
And I now know a lot more about it all. It’s a really interesting life and a much more purposeful one than I was aware of. But this book is also so positive about her which is obviously the opposite of the stories that I had heard previously. And (again as a Northampton local) I spotted a couple of little errors that should have been picked up in fact checking. So now I want to go and find some more stuff about Raine to try and work out whether Raine’s legendary people skills have managed to seduce Gaudoin from beyond the grave in the research of this!
But it’s very readable - I read the whole thing in about four days (once you take the fact I didn't take it with me on holiday into account) - which is fast for me for a non-fiction paperback (because I don’t take physical books on my commute anymore now I’m schlepping a laptop around with me the whole time) and I’m now going to lend it to my mum who is much better on the local history than I am and will undoubtedly have a view on it all.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews