As Earl Spencer appears on Loose Men to discuss mental health, what happened to him at boarding school?
Earl Spencer is joining Sam Thompson, Craig Doyle and Dr Amir Khan to discuss men’s mental health on ITV’s Loose Men.
Along with Sam Thompson, Craig Doyle and Dr Amir Khan, Earl Spencer will be appearing on Loose Men on Thursday May 15 to discuss the mental and physical health of men. Five days ago, the news of his appearance was shared on Althorp House’s Instagram and the caption read: “Earl Spencer is one of Loose Men’s four presenters, on ITV at lunchtime on 15 May - during Mental Health Week. With @craigdoyletv, @samthompsonuk and @doctoramirkhan, @charles.earl.spencer will look at a variety of issues connected to men’s mental and physical health.
“Watch Loose Men on Thursday 15th May from 12:30pm on @itv and @itvxofficial @loosewomen.”
In response to this post, one fan wrote: “This is a great thing to do. Well done all,” whilst another wrote: “Huge respect for the Spencer family.”
Earl Spencer wrote about the abuse he received whilst at boarding school in his memoir, ‘A Very Private School,’ and in an extract published by the Mail on Sunday, he alleged that a matron at his school Maidwell School groomed and abused boys including him in their beds at night. In the memoir, he wrote: 'I've frequently witnessed deep pain, still flickering in the eyes of my Maidwell contemporaries,” and also wrote: “Many of us left Maidwell with demons sewn into the seams of our souls.”
In a statement, Maidwell School said that it was “ sobering to read about the experiences Charles Spencer, and some of his fellow alumni, had at the school, and we are sorry that was their experience.” In January 2025, it was revealed that Maidwell Hall boarding and day school in Northamptonshire was to close.
The statement on the school’s website read: “It has been announced today that Maidwell Hall, the independent school for 4–13-year-old boys and girls, based in the Northamptonshire countryside, intends to close at the end of the summer term 2025. The school has entered a period of statutory consultation on the planned closure with staff, with findings expected by spring at the latest.
“The proposed decision to close the school has been taken with profound regret. The school has for many years been operating at a financial loss and although there has been some growth in pupil numbers, the school has been adversely affected by external factors that have made it impossible for the school to continue.”
Earl Spencer later revealed that he had the same therapy to deal with the abuse he suffered as his nephew Prince Harry, and said: “I have EMDR, which is a form of therapy for PTSD,” and in an interview with Laura Kuenssberg, he revealed that he needed residential treatment for trauma after suffering a breakdown.