The 12th Duke of Marlborough has appeared before magistrates and signalled his intention to fight allegations that he strangled his estranged wife on three separate occasions.
Court Appearance and Charges
Charles James Spencer-Churchill, 70, stood in the dock at High Wycombe Magistrates' Court in Buckinghamshire on Monday. He confirmed his name, date of birth, and gave his address as the iconic Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire. The aristocrat, a distant relative of both Sir Winston Churchill and Diana, Princess of Wales, indicated not guilty pleas to all charges.
The prosecution outlined three counts of intentional strangulation against his estranged wife, Edla Marlborough, 57. The alleged incidents are said to have occurred between November 2022 and April 2024.
Details of the Alleged Assaults
The court heard details of the three specific allegations. The first claims that on 13 November 2022, following an argument in their garden, the Duke struck his wife several times before placing his hands around her neck.
A second allegation states that on 23 April 2023, the Duchess ran into a laundry room, where the defendant is accused of grabbing her, hitting her with a closed fist, and strangling her.
The final charge relates to an incident on 29 January 2024, where it is alleged the Duke pushed Edla Marlborough onto a bed and assaulted her after putting his hands tightly around her neck.
Bail and Next Steps
Spencer-Churchill was granted conditional bail and is scheduled to appear at Oxford Crown Court on 5 February. It is at this hearing that he will be asked to enter formal pleas to the charges.
The Duke, formerly known as the Marquess of Blandford, inherited his title in 2014 following the death of his father. He married Edla, his second wife, in 2002, but the couple separated earlier this year. While he resides at Blenheim Palace, the UNESCO World Heritage site and birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill is owned by a foundation, not by the Duke personally.
