From fashion runways to addiction recovery: the complex life of Victoria Aitken
In short: Before becoming an addiction counsellor, Victoria Aitken was a high-profile fashion model featured in international editions of Vogue. Her life took a dramatic turn under the intense scrutiny of the British press, leading her to seek a new beginning in South Africa, where she eventually opened her own treatment centre.
Born Catherine Victoria Lockwood in 1965, she began her modelling career at 19 after being discovered by photographer Bruce Weber. Her career flourished, with appearances in prestigious publications like Harper’s Bazaar and various international editions of Vogue. In 1989, she married Charles Spencer, then Viscount Althorp, in a high-profile ceremony at the Church of St. Mary the Virgin. The union, which produced four children, was marked by significant personal and public challenges, including her struggles with anorexia and substance dependence.
The marriage faced immense pressure from media intrusion and her husband's infidelity. In 1995, after receiving treatment at a private clinic in Surrey, the couple moved to Cape Town to escape the spotlight. Their subsequent divorce in 1997 became a legal battleground over jurisdiction, eventually settled in South Africa. During this period, she did not attend the funeral of her former sister-in-law, Diana, Princess of Wales, choosing instead to focus on her recovery and her children.
Following her recovery, she pivoted to a career in mental health, co-founding The Stepping Stones treatment centre in Kommetjie in 1998. She spoke openly about her own journey, describing herself as an alcoholic and anorexic who had received the gift of recovery. Her commitment to the field was deeply personal, driven by her own experiences with addiction. Today, the facility operates as Akeso Stepping Stones under the Netcare Group Limited, continuing the work she began after leaving her life as a countess behind.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Victoria Aitken
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