A British aristocrat fell to his death – now his ‘fake Marchioness’ girlfriend and estranged son are at war

The 9th Marquess of Ailesbury has accused his late father’s partner of passing herself off as a marchioness at the Ritz

Months after the 8th Marquess of Ailesbury fell to his death from a window, his estranged son is demanding answers.

The late Marquess was found by his long-term partner, the former model and one-time sweetheart of Frank Sinatra, Teresa Marshall de Paoli, lying unconscious on the patio of her west London home in May last year.

Michael Brudenell-Bruce, 98, had been with de Paoli for 37 years at the time of his death, and had reportedly altered his will two years prior giving her a fifth of his vast estate.

Though he had been estranged from his son, David Brudenell-Bruce, for 50 years, the 9th Marquess is now hoping an inquest will deliver answers to the questions looming over his father’s fatal fall.

In scenes that could be pulled straight from de Paoli’s high society novel, Rich Alliance, the family remain locked in a bitter dispute involving money, titles and assets.

Brudenell-Bruce has accused his father’s partner of “repeatedly passed herself off as a marchioness” and opening a bank account in the name of Marchioness of Ailesbury during her time with the late Marquess.

Michael Brudenell-Bruce, 98, had been with his partner Teresa Marshall de Paoli, 88, for 37 years at the time of his death (ANL/Shutterstock)

As reported by The Times, he complained to both the Financial Ombudsman Service and even the Ritz hotel in London to demand its concierge no longer use the title Marchionese, as it did not apply to “a girlfriend”.

He also expressed anger with having been prevented from visiting his father’s coffin before the funeral and told the publication: “She, just a girlfriend, managed to prevent me seeing my own father’s coffin.”

Relatives are also contesting the late Marquess’ will, as he had reportedly been in the early stages of dementia for years before his death.

David Brudenell-Bruces is hoping the upcoming inquest into his father’s death will answer looming questions over his fatal fall. (Alamy Stock Photo)

“Given the state of our relations I never expected to get anything from his will — he had, after all, [already] left me his 49 per cent share of the Savernake estate,” David, 71, told The Times.

“Knowing I stood to benefit nothing from [the will], I never paid too much attention to when the final will was written, but certainly I feel people with dementia should not be making financial decisions.”

Brudenell-Bruce still lives on the family’s estate, though the family seat Tottenham House was sold in 2008 for £11m.

His son, Thomas Brudenell-Bruce, now the Earl of Cardigan, was made the leading beneficiary of his grandfather’s will upon his death.

Ms Marshall de Paoli says members of the family have accused her of pushing her late partner out of the window. (ANL/Shutterstock)

Ms Marshall de Paoli says members of the family have accused her of pushing her late partner out of the window – a claim she denies.

The author lived with the late Marquess at her west London home, which she bought before they met, for 14 years before his death. Previously, they lived on his family’s 4,500-acre Savernake estate in Wiltshire.

She believes he died while letting their cat Honeybun out of the window.

“I’ve had eight months of this mental cruelty and saying more or less that I killed Michael,” she told the publication. “It’s terrible. It really is terrible.”

She told the paper that whilst she acknowledges having called herself Lady Ailesbury, it was with her partner’s permission so that staff did not question her orders and that the bank card with the title to shop for food rather than to “be grand”.

In regards to the claim she had stopped the 9th Marquess from visiting his father’s coffin, she said his legal manoeuvring had delayed the burial for a month, meaning the body was badly decomposed – and that she was even forced to use his favourite cologne, Dior Eau Sauvage, to mask the smell.