Michael Brudenell-Bruce, the eighth Marquess of Ailesbury, tragically died in a freak accident in London at the age of 98. The incident occurred when Brudenell-Bruce fell from his bedroom window while letting out his cat. According to reports from The Sun, he died instantly after hitting his head on the concrete patio below.

His wife, Teresa Marshall de Paoli, 88, discovered him after he had fallen. She had been cooking dinner at the time and believes he had lain outside for at least an hour. Despite the tragic circumstances, she was later allowed to say goodbye and spray his favorite aftershave on him.

Michael Brudenell-Bruce was the relative of Florence Brudenell-Bruce, a model who previously dated Prince Harry in 2011. Florence, the daughter of Andrew Brudenell-Bruce and a descendant of the third Marquess of Ailesbury, dated Prince Harry for two months before they reportedly remained friends. She later married multi-millionaire Henry St George in 2013, while Prince Harry married Meghan Markle in 2018.

Teresa Marshall de Paoli recounted the incident to The Sun, explaining that their cat Honeybun had gotten her head stuck, prompting her husband to push the window up, leading to his fall. The Metropolitan Police and London Ambulance Service responded to the scene just after 8pm on Sunday, confirming the death as unexpected but not suspicious.