Earl Spencer says he was sexually abused at his boarding school

Earl Spencer, the brother of Diana, Princess of Wales, said he was sexually abused by a staff member as a child at boarding school.

In an extract from his memoirs published in the Mail on Sunday, the 59-year-old details the sexual assaults and beatings he suffered at Maidwell Hall, which left him with lifelong “demons”.

He says he was abused at the age of 11 by a school assistant matron, which caused such trauma that he harmed himself because he believed she might leave the school.

Earl Spencer writes: “There seemed to be an unofficial hierarchy among her prey…She would select a boy each semester to share her bed and use him for sexual intercourse.

“She had total control over hypnotized boys because we lacked feminine warmth and were desperate for attention and affection.”

As a result of this experience, Earl Spencer lost his virginity to an Italian prostitute at the age of 12.

He writes: “There was no joy in the act, no feeling of arrival, no growing up.”

“I now believe that I have merely completed the process set in motion by the Assistant Matron’s perverse attentions.”

Earl Spencer also says he was beaten with the spikes of a cricket boot by the school’s Latin teacher.

He described reliving his experiences at school as “an absolutely hellish experience” and wrote: “I often experienced deep pain that still flickered in the eyes of my Maidwell contemporaries.

“Many of us left Maidwell with demons sewn into the seams of our souls.”

In a statement to the media, Maidwell Hall said she was “sorry” about the experiences Earl Spencer and several others had at the school.

“It is difficult to read about practices that were unfortunately sometimes considered normal and acceptable at the time.

“In today’s education, almost every aspect of school life has evolved significantly since the 1970s. The focus of the changes is protecting children and promoting their well-being.

“Although we have not received any direct claims from former students, in light of the cases reported, the school has followed the legal process and made a referral to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).

“We would encourage anyone with similar experiences to come forward and contact either Maidwell Hall, the LADO or the police.”

Earl Spencer’s book “A Very Private School” is published March 14th.