The 12th Duke of Marlborough has formally denied allegations that he strangled his estranged wife, entering not guilty pleas to three separate charges during a court hearing.
Court Appearance and Charges
Charles James Spencer-Churchill, known as Jamie, appeared before High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on Monday for a plea hearing. The 12th Duke faces three counts of intentional non-fatal strangulation, alleged to have occurred against his estranged wife, Edla Marlborough, between November 2022 and May 2024.
The court documents state the alleged offences took place in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. The duke, a relative of both Sir Winston Churchill and Diana, Princess of Wales, pleaded not guilty to all three charges.
A Prominent Aristocratic Figure
Spencer-Churchill is a member of one of Britain's most notable aristocratic families. He inherited the dukedom in 2014 following the death of his father, the 11th Duke of Marlborough. Prior to this, he was known as the Marquess of Blandford or Jamie Blandford.
He is a first cousin, three times removed, of wartime prime minister Sir Winston Churchill and is distantly related to the late Diana, Princess of Wales through the Spencer line.
The duke married Welsh ceramicist Edla Griffiths, his second wife, in 2002. The couple separated in 2024.
Blenheim Palace Connection
The duke's ancestral home is the world-famous, 300-year-old Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, which is also the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill. However, the duke does not own or manage the 18th-century baroque palace and its vast estate.
The property is owned and operated by the independent Blenheim Palace Heritage Foundation. A foundation spokesperson addressed the case, stating: "Blenheim Palace Heritage Foundation is aware legal proceedings have been brought against the Duke of Marlborough. The foundation is unable to comment on the charges, which relate to the duke’s personal conduct and private life, and which are subject to live criminal proceedings."
The spokesperson emphasised the separation between the duke and the foundation, confirming it is "not owned or managed by the Duke of Marlborough, but by independent entities run by boards of trustees."
The case continues as the legal process unfolds.
