Family falsely say I pushed aristocrat to his death, claims grieving widow, 88, of Marquess of Ailesbury

Teresa Marshall de Paoli was the partner of Marquess of Ailesbury for 37 yearsNow relatives of the late Marquess are contesting his will

The partner of a wealthy aristocrat who died in a fall spoke out about her ordeal last night as she claimed family members had accused her of being involved in his death.

Teresa Marshall de Paoli, the partner of the Marquess of Ailesbury for 37 years, said she was shunned at his funeral after he was found bleeding from the head last month on the patio of her west London home.

Relatives of the late Marquess – also known as Michael Brudenell-Bruce, who was suffering from dementia when he died at 98 – are contesting his will.

It was changed two years ago and gives Ms Marshall de Paoli, 88 – a former fashion model who dated Frank Sinatra – a fifth of his estate.

The last picture of 8th Marquis of Ailesbury Michael Brudenell-Bruce and his wife Teresa Marshall de Paoli at the Ivy Chelsea in June 2023

The Earl of Cardigan at the family seat, Tottenham House Earl of Cardigan

Police spent two days investigating the incident, which she claims happened after the 8th Marquess – also known as Lord Ailesbury – leant out of his first-floor bedroom window to let out their cat, Honeybun.

His son David remains unconvinced. He told The Mail on Sunday: 'The sadness is she and he were alone in the building and we will never know. There'll be a coroner's inquest and the only possible outcome is an open verdict.'

Ms Marshall de Paoli says she endured an ordeal when police and forensic officers confined her to her home during their investigations.

She says some family members have kept their distance since he died, and one has accused her of pushing him out of the window. She denies the claim.

She told The Mail on Sunday: 'The rest of the family avoided speaking to me altogether at the wake. David would come inside to get himself more prosecco but would not speak to me.'

Ms Marshall de Paoli is an executor of her late partner's will. She did not have power of attorney.

David, 71, the newly styled 9th Marquess, expressed suspicions over her involvement in his death and said he is contesting the will.

It was changed two years ago to make Ms Marshall de Paoli an executor with a share, though David's son Tom – the new Earl of Cardigan – is the leading beneficiary.

Ms Marshall de Paoli says she was Lord Ailesbury's carer until the end of his life: 'I want to warn others that when a partner dies in the home, the remaining widow is treated like a suspect. I had no idea.

'I am a very caring person and I didn't want him to go to a home.

'I simply did not push him out of the window.

'I thought he'd live to be 101 and I would die before him.'

Ms Marshall de Paoli lived with Lord Ailesbury for 14 years at her west London home, which she bought before they met. Previously, they lived on his family's 4,500-acre Savernake estate in Wiltshire.

David – who still lives on the estate, though the family seat was sold in 2008 for £11 million – believes that his father's will should not have been altered while he had dementia.

Ms Marshall de Paoli said: 'David and his father had not spoken for 50 years, which is why he's excluded.'

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said: 'The death is unexpected but is not being treated as suspicious.'