We are sad to report that Annabelle Neilson, from Bravo's Ladies of London has died at the age of 49. According to the coroner’s report obtained by Radar Online, Neilson died suddenly of a cerebrovascular accident, or stroke.
Westminster Coroner Court spokesperson Susan Lord said “the cause of death was cerebrovascular accident.”
In the days before her sudden passing, Neilson attended a cousin’s wedding and appeared happy and upbeat.
The London Metropolitan Police revealed to Us Weekly that officers were called to Neilson’s address on Thursday, July 12, after a woman had been “found deceased at the location.” Neilson’s death is not being treated as suspicious, per the police.
“Her friends and family are stunned,” a source tells PEOPLE about the Ladies of London star.
The source says Neilson endured plenty of “hard times” in her life, most notably the 2010 suicide of her best friend, designer Alexander McQueen. “She was rocked by his death,” says the source.
She also had a horse riding accident five years ago that left her in agony. “Coping with the pain was horrific,” says the source.
Ultimately, says the source, “she had a lot of private pain that she kept from others.”
Neilson appeared on seasons 1 and 2 of the Bravo hit reality series before announcing her departure from the show in 2015.
“Good buy to Ladies of London these are the ladies I love and are my real friends!!” Neilson wrote alongside an Instagram photo of herself and Kate Moss in November 2015. “im blessed and greatfull to say fair well!! I wouldn’t say it’s been a ride, possibly a disappointment but we all make mistakes … See you on the other side ❤❤❤❤❤out.”
Neilson starred alongside full-time cast members Caroline Stanbury, Marissa Hermer, Juliet Angus, Caprice Bourret and Noelle Reno for the first season of Ladies of London, which aired in 2014. Julie Montagu and Caroline Fleming joined the cast for season 2. In May 2017, Montagu and Angus confirmed that the show would not be returning for a fourth season.
In addition to her time on reality TV, Neilson worked as a model before her death, and was close friends with supermodels Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell, as well as the late fashion designer Alexander McQueen — whose suicide in 2010 absolutely devastated her.
“He was my brother, my boyfriend, my soulmate. Most of the time people called me Mrs McQueen. Quite often we were sharing a bed,” Neilson, who was the last person to see the designer alive, told the Daily Mail in 2015.
“The truth is I was happier with Lee than with anyone else. He asked me to marry him towards the end and I said no. I wish now that I had said yes,” she added.
Neilson was open about her struggle with heroin addiction in the past. She told the Daily Mail in 2015 that her addiction began when she was attacked by a man at the age of 16.
“The attack lasted for two hours. I was tied to a tree and continually beaten. I looked like the elephant girl by the end of it,” she told the outlet.
“I managed to escape with my life but I needed reconstructive surgery because my face was so disfigured,” Neilson revealed. “After that, I fell into a serious depression and became a heroin addict because it provided an escape bubble and was the only way I could cope.”
Nielson was later able to remain sober.
In 2013, Neilson, an avid horse racer, was thrown off the saddle. After 12 weeks, she was told by doctors she could never ride again — and suffered chronic pain following the incident.
“The truth is I was happiest when I was training,” she told the Daily Mail. “I love the connection with these great animals and, although I grew up riding, racing is completely different.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with Annabelle's loved ones during this difficult time.
Photo Credit: Bravo
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