The 12th Duke of Marlborough, Charles James Spencer-Churchill, a descendant of Sir Winston Churchill and Princess Diana, is facing three charges of deliberate strangulation. The alleged incidents occurred between November 2022 and May 2024 in Woodstock and Oxfordshire, involving the same individual, according to Thames Valley Police. The 70-year-old Duke is scheduled to appear in Oxford Magistrates’ Court this week after being arrested on May 13 last year.
Commonly known as Jamie within his family, Spencer-Churchill inherited the title in 2014 upon the passing of his father, the 11th Duke of Marlborough. Prior to his dukedom, he was recognized as the Marquess of Blandford, also referred to as Jamie Blandford. Blenheim Palace, his ancestral home and the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill, is managed by the Blenheim Palace Heritage Foundation, not personally by the Duke.
A spokesperson for the foundation stated that they are aware of the legal proceedings against the Duke of Marlborough but cannot comment on the charges as they pertain to his private life and are subject to ongoing criminal proceedings. The foundation clarified that it operates independently of the Duke, overseen by boards of trustees.
Despite his prestigious lineage and connections to historical figures, Spencer-Churchill does not have a direct role in the management of Blenheim Palace, a renowned UNESCO World Heritage Site with expansive parklands designed by landscape architect “Capability” Brown. Notably, the palace has hosted prominent events, including a reception for European leaders by the King in July 2024 and the unveiling of a bust of Sir Winston Churchill in the company of the Queen, then the Duchess of Cornwall, in 2015.
In a separate incident, the palace made headlines in 2019 when thieves stole a £4.75 million golden toilet during a daring heist. The fully-functional 18-carat gold lavatory was ripped out by the thieves who broke into the palace.