The Duke of Marlborough has refuted allegations of strangling his estranged wife, Edla Marlborough. Charles James Spencer-Churchill, a descendant of Sir Winston Churchill and Princess Diana, faces three charges of intentional strangulation against Edla Marlborough from November 2022 to May 2024. He has stated his intention to plead not guilty at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court after being arrested in 2024.
During the court proceedings, it was mentioned that Spencer-Churchill allegedly hit Ms. Marlborough multiple times after an argument in their garden on November 13, 2022, before placing his hands around her neck. Another incident reportedly occurred on April 23, 2023, when Ms. Marlborough sought refuge in a laundry room and was allegedly assaulted by the defendant at Blenheim Palace, where he resides, through physical violence and strangulation.
The final accusation involves an incident on January 29, 2024, where it is claimed that the duke pushed Ms. Marlborough onto a bed and assaulted her after gripping her neck tightly. Spencer-Churchill, attired in a navy suit, white shirt, and blue tie, appeared in court and confirmed his personal details and not guilty pleas.
The 70-year-old was given conditional bail by Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring and is scheduled to appear at Oxford Crown Court on February 5 for the formal entry of pleas. Spencer-Churchill married Edla Griffiths, a Welsh ceramicist, in 2002, but they separated in 2024. They have two children, Lady Araminta Spencer-Churchill born in 2007 and Lord Caspar Spencer-Churchill born in 2008.
Edla, who became the Duchess of Marlborough upon Spencer-Churchill inheriting his title in 2014, previously lived in Chelsea, where she pursued her art. The duke’s ancestral home is Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, though he does not own the estate, which is overseen by the Blenheim Palace Heritage Foundation.
A spokesperson for the foundation acknowledged the legal proceedings against the Duke of Marlborough, emphasizing that the organization cannot comment on the charges as they pertain to the duke’s personal affairs and are subject to ongoing criminal proceedings.