Earl Spencer's family 'shell shocked'

Britain's Earl Charles Spencer's family are "shell-shocked" by the announcement of his engagement yesterday (15.02.11).

The brother of Princess Diana - who only broke off his engagement to widowed aristocrat Lady Bianca Eliot four months ago - has reportedly dropped a "bombshell" on his friends and family by announcing plans to marry Canadian philanthropist Karen Gordon on June 18.

A source told the Daily Mail newspaper: "This is bombshell news for everyone. He only revealed what was happening in the past couple of days after proposing and people are shell-shocked."

Insiders also believe Charles has timed the announcement in order to ensure mother-of-two Karen will be invited to the royal wedding of future British monarch Prince William and his fiancee Kate Middleton on April 29.

It is also believed after Charles and Karen wed in a private ceremony on June 18 at the Earl's Northamptonshire estate, the pair plan to spend more time in the US at the former model's Los Angeles home.

Charles, 46 - who has an estimated personal wealth of £120 million - has been married twice before, for eight years to model Victoria Lockwood and then to Caroline Freud, with whom he split after eight years of marriage in 2009.