Duke Of Marlborough, Charles Spencer-Churchill, Charged With Three Counts Of Intentional Strangulation

Charles James Spencer-Churchill, the 12th Duke of Marlborough, has been charged with three counts of intentional strangulation following an arrest on May 13, 2024, Thames Valley Police confirmed.

Details Of The Allegations

The 70-year-old was charged in connection with three alleged attacks on the same person over an 18-month period. The incidents are reported to have taken place in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, between November 2022 and May 2024. Authorities say the alleged assaults were non-fatal; the alleged victim has not been publicly identified.

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Court Date And Responses

Spencer-Churchill — who previously used the name Jamie Blandford — is due to appear at Oxford Magistrates' Court on Thursday, Dec. 18. The charges follow his arrest in May 2024, according to police statements.

Representatives for Spencer-Churchill have been contacted for comment but no public statement has been released.

Keystone/Hulton Archive/GettyFormer British Prime Minister Winston Churchill

"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 foundation said, noting it is managed by independent trustees and is separate from the duke's private affairs.

Background

Spencer-Churchill lives at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, the family’s ancestral home and the birthplace of former prime minister Winston Churchill. He is a distant relative of both Winston Churchill and the late Princess Diana (sometimes described as Churchill's first cousin three times removed).

All persons charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.