A first cousin, three times removed, of Winston Churchill and also distantly related to Diana, Princess of Wales through the Spencer line, he inherited his dukedom in 2014 following the death of his father, the 11th Duke of Marlborough.
However, in 1994, the 11th duke, who once described his son as the black sheep of his family, brought legal action to ensure he would not be able to take control of Blenheim Palace, the family seat.
The 11th duke managed to persuade the High Court that it had a duty to protect the estate for future generations.
His son was forced to agree to cede all executive power to a board of trustees that looks after the 300-year-old palace, built for the first Duke of Marlborough, and the birthplace of Churchill, and the surrounding estate in Woodstock.
Last year, Blandford separated from Edla Griffiths, 57, his wife, whom he met while she was living in Chelsea and working as a ceramicist.
In an interview earlier this year, Lady Araminta Spencer-Churchill, 18, their daughter, said she lived with her mother on the Blenheim estate while her father lived in the palace.
The duke was married previously to Rebecca Few-Brown, the mother of his heir, George, Marquess of Blandford, 33, a polo player.
Blenheim is owned and managed by the Blenheim Palace Heritage Foundation.
A spokesman for the foundation said: “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 is not owned or managed by the Duke of Marlborough, but by independent entities run by boards of trustees.”
The King hosted at Blenheim Palace
The King hosted a reception at Blenheim Palace for European leaders in July 2024, and the Queen, then the Duchess of Cornwall, joined the duke for the unveiling of a bust of Churchill in the grounds in 2015.
The palace was also the scene of the theft of a £4.75m ($11m) golden lavatory in 2019 after a gang of thieves smashed their way into the palace and ripped it out.
The duke’s representatives have been approached for comment.
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