In July 1934 Winston Churchill published an obituary in London Times for his cousin Sir Charles “Sunny” Spencer-Churchill, the 9th Duke of Marlborough, who he wrote was his “oldest and dearest friend.” Churchill paid fond tribute to his cousin’s many gifts and accomplishments, including the repair and preservation of Blenheim Palace. He also noted the “depressing shadow” cast on his cousin’s life by the “revolution” during his lifetime that saw the aristocratic class lose their political responsibilities as well as the distress he felt over the failure of his two marriages.
The life of the Churchill’s cousin is examined in The Churchill Who Saved Blenheim: The Life of Sunny, 9th Duke of Marlborough by Michael Waterhouse and Karen Wiseman. The authors’ observe that “history has been unkind to Sunny Marlborough” and that his life has been largely written through the eyes of his two unhappy marriages. While the flaws in Sunny’s character were apparent to many, Waterhouse and Wiseman note that those closest to him found “an altogether different individual, blessed with many and varied special qualities.” In the chapter devoted to Churchill and Sunny’s relationship, the authors’ write that Sunny was Churchill’s closest cousin and best life-long friend.
Like Churchill the authors conclude that the restoration of Blenheim is the great achievement of Marlborough’s life. Backed by the money from his disastrous first marriage, it was his “energy, vision, and educated taste” that saved Blenheim for his family and the country. The Churchill Who Saved Blenheim is a fine biography that includes many illustrations.