Fairy-tale over for Lady Isabella Hervey after she SPLITS with her Belgian businessman husband Christophe de Pauw after 10 years – as friend reveals break-up has been bitter

Her family is defined by both notoriety and tragedy — yet Lady Isabella Hervey, 41, younger of the 6th Marquess of Bristol’s two glamorous daughters, seemed to have set herself on a new path when she married Belgian businessman Christophe de Pauw ten years ago.

After the birth of their first child, a son named Victor, she reflected: ‘I have always had a fairy-tale dream of a happy family life, and now that fairy-tale dream has come true.’

So I’m sad to reveal the ‘fairy-tale dream’, which continued with another son, Patrick, and a daughter India, has ended in the bitterest manner.

‘They split recently,’ a pal tells me, adding that the parting could not in any way be described as amicable.

‘It’s been so rough for her,’ explains the insider, saying that, in part, that’s because Isabella, who initially lived with Christophe in Belgium, is far from home and family — her brother, Fred, the 8th Marquess, their mother Yvonne and her sister Victoria.

The split is the latest in a string of tragedies for the family. Pictured: Lady Victoria Hervey and Lady Isabella Hervey during The Radox Great British Mud Run

Isabella, once voted one of the world’s sexiest women by lad mag FHM after appearing on Celebrity Love Island, confirms the split. Pictured: Lady Isabella Hervey during ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’ London Premiere

‘It’s been hard. Isabella lives in Portugal, in the Algarve, and her family are over here.’ Christophe declines to comment while Isabella, once voted one of the world’s sexiest women by lad mag FHM after appearing on Celebrity Love Island, confirms the split. Having won Channel 4 reality show The Games, she has found solace in cycling and recently represented Britain at the UCI world championships in Glasgow.

‘When I complete a race that is usually 160km and 3,000-plus metres of steep climbing and get winning results, I feel I can deal with anything that comes my way,’ she tells me.

The split is the latest in a string of tragedies for the family.

They lost their seat, Ickworth House in Suffolk, due to the self-destructive showmanship of Isabella’s elder half-brother, John, the 7th marquess, who died aged 44.

He squandered £35million on helicopters, heroin and other recreational pleasures.

Meanwhile, Lady Isabella’s half-brother Lord Nicholas Hervey took his own life aged 36.