The Churchill who saved Blenheim : the life of Sunny, 9th Duke of Marlborough

History has been unkind to Sunny Marlborough, largely because it was written by his firstwife, the 'dollar princess' Consuelo Vanderbilt.

It is true that he was not an easy man andtheir marriage was indeed an unhappy one.

However the unhappiness of his marriage toConsuelo was not all his fault, in fact it would be fair to say that he was more sinned againstthan sinning.

His second wife, Gladys Deacon, proved far too unstable to be the love andcompanion of his life.

Sadly he needed to be loved but he never found a woman who loved himenough.

Added to these stresses and strains, he lived through a time of great change and feltthe responsibility of preserving his home, Blenheim Palace, and the way of life he knew, mostkeenly.

He was a quiet, well educated, introverted man who took his role as head of a greatestate most seriously.

He cared for his tenants and his servants. To those he loved, he was loyal,generous, unfailingly helpful, and courteous but when necessary he was also that rare andvaluable thing, a critical friend.

He left Blenheim in a far better state than he found it.

This washis greatest achievement. "Fortoo long the 9th Duke of Marlborough, the 'Builder Duke', has been hidden inthe wings - a misunderstood figure, wickedly traduced in the memoirs of hisfirst wife, Consuelo Vanderbilt.

Now at last we see how he sacrificed hispersonal happiness to save and embellish Blenheim.

The book opens with adevastating pistol shot which will astound anyone interested in thoseAnglo-American alliances." Hugo Vickers, Biographer of Gladys Deacon,Duchess of Marlborough