Ancestry of Princess Diana Spencer of Wales

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Diana Frances Spencer (1961-97), Princess of Wales 1981-97 (Wikipedia biography) (thePeerage.com) Diana was born 1 Jul 1961 at Park House, Sandringham as her parent's fourth child of five. She married Prince Charles at St Paul's Cathedral on 29 Jul 1981, they had already been separated for a while when they finally divorced in 1996. They had two children: William 1982 and Henry "Harry" 1984. Diana died in 1997 in a car accident. In 2005, Charles married secondly to Camilla (Shand) Parker-Bowles who then became Duchess of Cornwall. Diana's eldest child William is set to marry Kate Middleton on 29 Apr 2011 at Westminster Abbey.
Edward John Spencer (1924-92), 8th Earl Spencer 1975-92 (Wikipedia biography) (thePeerage.com) Edward was born at Sussex Square, London on 24 Jan 1924 as the son of Albert Edward Spencer, 7th Earl Spencer and his wife, Cynthia Hamilton. On 1 Jun 1954, in Westminster Abbey, Edward married Frances Burke Roche, who then became Viscountess Althorp. He and Frances had five children: Elizabeth, Cynthia, John (died at birth), Diana, and Charles who, as the only surviving male, succeeded his father in 1992 as the 9th Earl Spencer. Edward and Frances divorced in 1969, both marrying other people. He most famously married in 1976, Raine (McCorquodale) Legge, Countess of Dartmouth, daughter of the novelist Barbara Cartland. (Raine's Wikipedia biography) His children by Frances Roche are stated to have detested Raine, acting rudely to her at various times. In contrast, it's stated that when Edward and Raine married, none of his children were invited to the wedding.
Frances Ruth Burke Roche (1936-2004), Viscountess Althorp 1954-69 (Wikipedia biography) (thePeerage.com) Frances was born 20 Jan 1936 at Sandringham, the daughter of Edmund Maurice Burke Roche, 4th Lord Fermoy. When she and Edward divorced in 1969, she lost her Viscountess title. She married secondly, that same year, to Peter Shand-Kydd, with whom she had apparently been romantically involved prior to her divorce. Possibly because of this, Edward was granted custody of the children, but they also got to visit their mother and her new husband, on the remote Scottish island of Seil.
Albert Edward Spencer (1892-1975), 7th Earl Spencer 1922-75 (Wikipedia biography) (thePeerage.com). Albert was born in 1892, the son of Charles Robert Spencer, 6th Earl Spencer. He married Cynthia Hamilton, daughter of the Earl of Abercorn, and she then became Countess Spencer. Albert and Cynthia had two children: Anne, and Edward, who succeeded his father in 1975 as the 8th Earl Spencer.
Cynthia Hamilton (1897-1972), Countess Spencer 1922-1972 (Wikipedia biography) (thePeerage.com) Cynthia was born in 1897 as the daughter of James Albert Edward Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Abercorn, and his wife Rosalind Bingham, daughter of the Earl of Lucan.
Edmund Maurice Burke Roche (1885-1955), 4th Lord Fermoy 1920-1955. Edmund, who was born in Chelsea, England, had been raised primarily in the United States, when his mother left her husband and took her twin sons and daughter with her back to her homeland. When his father died in 1920, after having been Lord Fermoy only a few months, Edmund as the eldest of the twin sons, succeeded to that title. (Wikipedia biography) (thePeerage.com)
Dame Ruth Sylvia Gill (1908-93). She was born in Dalhebity, Aberdeenshire (Wikipedia biography) (thePeerage.com)
Charles Robert Spencer (1857-1922), 6th Earl Spencer 1910-1922 (Wikipedia biography) (thePeerage.com)
Hon Margaret Baring (1868-1906) (Wikipedia biography [included with her husband]) (thePeerage.com)
James Albert Edward Hamilton (1869-1953), 3rd Duke of Abercorn 1913-53 (Wikipedia biography) (thePeerage.com)
Lady Rosalind Bingham (1869-1958) (Wikipedia biography)
James Boothby Burke Roche, 3rd Lord Fermoy 1920. He was the younger of two brothers, his elder brother succeeded their father as Lord Fermoy and held this title many years, but this elder brother died without male issue in 1920. James had married in 1880, in New York City, to Frances Eleanor Work of that city. She was the daughter of the wealthy broker and banker, Frank H Work. The couple moved to England and had twin sons and two daughters, the eldest daughter dying as an infant. Frances separating from James, took the children with her back to the United States and there obtained a divorce. James vigorously contested the divorce, even to the extent of obtaining a judgment that it was not legally recognized in England. In 1920, James as heir-male to his elder brother, succeeded to the title of Lord Fermoy but died only a few months afterward. Although he had seen his children at times over the years, it is not clear if he had reconciled with his children at his death. (Wikipedia biography)
Frances Eleanor Work (1857-1947). Born in the United States, probably in New York City, to Frank H Work (1819 - 1911) who became a wealthy broker and banker. Frances met and married James Roche in 1880 in New York City. He was a younger son of Lord Fermoy and as such had limited prospects. The couple moved to England, where Frances had twin sons and a daughter. Frances' apparently accustomed to living extravagantly left her husband taking their children back with her to the United States. Whether she left because he was not the wealthy gentleman she had thought, or whether she left because her father cut off her allowance is not yet known. Certainly her father later made it clear that he cared nothing for James and did not want his grandchildren to associate with James. Frances was accepted back into her father's household and lived with him for many years until setting up house at a farm where she had several horses. Frances next married a man who had been her employee, teaching her how to ride and how to drive a carriage. To this situation her father was incensed and immediately cut her off again. Frances and her new husband were divorced acrimoniously and several legal battles ensued. When her father died, he left her without much, but in a friendly family arrangement with her sister, the thirteen-million-dollar estate was equitably divided. (Wikipedia biography)
Col William Smith Gill
Ruth Littlejohn