EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: ‘Highly acrimonious’ marriage split in one of Britain’s richest aristocratic families as Viscountess Cowdray leaves husband and £400mn fortune

A devotee of Silent Meditation and Qigong, artist and sculptor Viscountess Cowdray is so committed to wellness that she became a consultant to the Oxford Center of Mindfulness.

So I’m sorry to report that all is not well at Cowdray Park, where the Viscountess, Marina, had a Buddhist temple built on the 17,000 acre West Sussex estate.

Marina, 63, has separated from her husband, the 4th Viscount Cowdray, 79, after 36 years of marriage and is being comforted by her chiropractor.

“It’s very bitter,” says a family friend. ‘Marina has left the marriage. Michael (the Viscount) is devastated. The New Age thing has changed her.’

Lord Michael and Lady Marina Cowdray pictured together at the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup on 20th July 2014

Any divorce can be expensive as the Cowdrays are one of Britain’s wealthiest aristocratic dynasties. Lord Cowdray, a former film producer, owns a significant portion of Pearson’s media empire and his fortune is estimated to be over £400 million.

The split is the talk of their social set and will have come to the attention of the royal family. The goddaughter of King Charles, Princess Maria-Olympia of Greece and Denmark is the girlfriend of the Cowdrays’ son, Peregrine Pearson, 28, a property developer, who is heir to the viscountcy.

Lord Cowdray hosts the annual Gold Cup at his Cowdray Park Polo Club, where Princes William and Harry have played. The Gold Cup is polo’s most prestigious European event.

When the couple’s eldest daughter, Eliza Pearson, 35, married Ned Rocknroll in 2009 in a pagan open-air ceremony led by a druid, Princess Beatrice was one of the guests.

Ned, a cousin of virgin billionaire Sir Richard Branson, changed his surname from Abel Smith through a poll before the lavish wedding took place at Cowdray Park. After splitting up with Eliza, he married Oscar winner Kate Winslet.

Lord Cowdray (L) and Lady Cowdray attend the Jaeger-LeCoultre Gold Cup Polo Final at Cowdray Park on July 23, 2017 in Midhurst, England

Marina, the daughter of the late Tory MP John Cordle, is Michael’s second wife. He was previously married to Fritzi (Ellen) Erhardt, the daughter of a German industrialist.

He has three daughters and two sons with Marina, as well as a son from a relationship with model Barbara Ray.

A spokesman for Lord Cowdray says he and his wife would not comment.