Duke of Marlborough accused of strangling his estranged wife on three separate occasions

Tuesday, January 6, 2026 - The Duke of Marlborough denied he strangled his estranged wife on three occasions at their home, a court heard.

Charles James Spencer-Churchill, who gave his address as the sprawling Blenheim Palace estate, is alleged to have attacked Edla Marlborough three times in just over a year.

He appeared before High Wycombe Magistrates' Court, where he indicated not guilty pleas to all counts this morning.

He is accused of striking Ms Marlborough several times before putting his hands around her neck on November 13, 2022.

The court was told on April 23, 2023, Ms Marlborough ran into a laundry room before the defendant is alleged to have grabbed her, hit her with a closed fist, and strangled her.

The final allegation is that the duke pushed Ms Marlborough on the bed and assaulted her after putting his hands tightly around her neck on January 29, 2024.

Spencer-Churchill appeared in the dock on Monday wearing a navy suit, white shirt, and blue tie, and spoke to confirm his name, date of birth, and his indicated not guilty pleas.

The 70-year-old was granted conditional bail by Chief Magistrate Paul Goldspring to appear at Oxford Crown Court on February 5, where he will be asked to formally enter pleas to the charges. 

Spencer-Churchill, known to his family as Jamie, is the 12th Duke of Marlborough and a member of one of Britain's most aristocratic families.
He is well known to have had a long battle with drug addiction in the past.

He became the 12th Duke of Marlborough after inheriting the title from his father, John Spencer-Churchill, who died in 2014 at the age of 88.
He married Edla Griffiths, an artist, in 2002 at the register office in Woodstock after dating for around seven years.

The couple had a daughter, the equestrian Lady Araminta Spencer-Churchill, in 2007, and a son, Lord Caspar Spencer-Churchill in 2008

Edla, 57, became the Duchess of Marlborough when Spencer-Churchill inherited his dukedom following the death of his father, the 11th duke, in 2014.

It is believed the couple split last year