Explore More - 2019

130 VIKING.COM EXPLORE

130 VIKING.COM EXPLORE MORE 2019

Lady Carnarvon CULTURE The Carnarvon family has a fascinating history. How did you come to be part of the family? I married a lovely man, Geordie, in 1999 and very much enjoyed the company of his parents and getting to know the countryside and way of life here. We lived during the week in London. I was not involved with Highclere Castle, the estate or farm, until Geordie’s father suddenly died. The responsibility then fell to my husband and myself. After a couple of years, we began to think about how to move forward. It is not just our castle; it also belongs to the team who works here with us. Could you tell us about the history of the estate and Highclere Castle? Highclere has been a home at least since 749 AD, when charters state that King Cuthred of Wessex gave Highclere to the Bishops of Winchester. Later records reveal a medieval palace built during the 12th and 13th centuries which was then succeeded by a muchadmired red-brick Tudor house. The Carnarvon family bought the house and estate in 1679. Thus, there have really only been two owners. The Tudor house was transformed into a Georgian house and then in 1838, the 3rd Earl of Carnarvon brought in Sir Charles Barry (the architect of the Houses of Parliament in London) to transform his home into a grand mansion. This “new” Highclere Castle dominated its surroundings in a most dramatic way. The first stone was laid in 1842. The structural work on the interior of the castle was finally completed in 1878. The castle became a center of political life during the late Victorian era. Do you enjoy the sense of community on the estate? I think the sense of community and culture is something we have brought back and it gives the house and estate life. Instead of retiring, people came back to help us. Students on school vacation get their first summer jobs here, and there is noise, hubbub and much laughter. Could you describe a typical day? Every day at Highclere is different. My day often begins with exercise, walking the dogs, horse riding, and some yoga or biking around the park. I usually see the gardeners or some of the gamekeepers, maintenance, or roofers. My mornings revolve around different meetings—marketing, diary, events, media, human resources. Then there is the restoration to refurbishments of the castle, the estate, outbuildings, farm buildings and cottages, helping to promote the farm…and, of course, writing. Highclere Castle is the setting for the hugely successful television series Downton Abbey. What has the impact been? When the first episode was aired, we thoroughly enjoyed watching it, but had no idea it would become the global phenomenon that it has—having been watched by over 270 million people in 150 countries around the world. How different is your life to the version portrayed on television? Life is a lot less formal and a lot busier than the gilded days portrayed on Downton Abbey. We have fewer staff and are very hands on. We lead by example—Serve to Lead—is a good motto. You have written several historic books and most recently, the coffee table book, At Home at Highclere, as well as a popular blog on your website. Why do you love writing? We are all told we have a book inside us, and when I wrote Almina, I had both an opportunity and a deadline. I love immersing myself and trying to share the real stories, the courage, the tears and challenges which are so much more than typed words on white paper. My blog is now an important part of each week and I think practice and concentration helps sculpt each post. Like a book, it is a path to lead people in and follow me through Highclere, or Downton! Any more books on the horizon? I am part way through another cookbook with stories and beautiful photographs but one which does not quite have the gravitas of At Home at Highclere, but I hope it will delight. I then have another historic book lined up. How do you stay connected to the rest of society? I think work and contribution to others lie at the heart of sustaining a raison d’être. We need to be in business and work to support Highclere and its estate, which a century ago would have supported us. I think experience, prudence, and valuing friendships and traditions still define what we do, but today we can convey and communicate in a very modern way. What are your hopes for the future? To continue to write books, to continue to curate the house and its brand. To be true to doing what is honorable and honest, and to do it with humility. Should you be traveling with us to London, Paris or Amsterdam, why not reserve a pre- or post-cruise extension to Highclere Castle and see the "real" Downton Abbey. Facing page: Lady Carnarvon at home in Highclere Castle Above: Picking roses on the grounds of the castle EXPLORE MORE 2019 | VIKING.COM 131