My First London Home: The Countess of Carnarvon

Telegraph

26-06-2025

I was born in London and grew up in a large rambling mansion flat in Ashley Gardens with five younger sisters. It had lovely high ceilings and was filled with noise and lots of books.
I was a real bookworm. We all went to Young England kindergarten and then to the Hampshire School by Hyde Park. It was a lovely school run by the actress Susan Hampshire's sister Jane Box-Grainger, who founded Downe House School.
London was a quieter place then and I remember bicycling around madly with my friends.
In the holidays, we were always in Cornwall rock climbing or in Kent riding or playing tennis or croquet. My childhood was like the Darling Buds of May or Five go on a Treasure Hunt.
In London, our grandparents would take us to the theatre for Christmas shows or march us off to Peter Jones and Harrods to buy those wonderful coats with little velvet collars. And it was always a great thrill to go to Miss Valentine's to get gold stars put on our dancing shoes.
I love the excitement of Theatreland at 7 o'clock when everyone is gathering getting ready to go in, the crowds in Trafalgar Square, going round Hyde Park and the Serpentine, where we used to sail our boats. I even have a little boat at Highclere to sail in the puddles we get after the winter rains.
I then went to St Paul's in Brook Green when I was 11 and stayed there when I was 18. There wasn't a uniform but there was a wonderful library – it was an amazing school with extraordinary teachers. I played a lot of games, and ran and played lacrosse for the county.
I used to love working in London – I was an auditor for Coopers Lybrand (now PWC).
My husband continues to be entirely surprised and amazed that I did actually train as a chartered accountant. It causes him constant amusement.
A few years ago we bought a tiny flat by Sloane Square. It's the size of our bedroom at Highclere, so there's no dusting.
It's a fantastic pied-à-terre and a great place to meet my sisters and my son, who works in London. It's also very nice to go for a walk early in the morning around the square or to the Physic Garden. It's just 40 minutes by train to London from Newbury, so not far.
At Highclere I'm trying to declutter, having decided less is more. I spend so much time looking for things! And then when I think I have found it – I find something in a brown box that I've been looking for, for two years! It's exhausting. There are always renovation projects too.
My book was a big project to finish. I'm publishing it in September, which coincides with the launch of the next Downton Abbey film.
I wanted to write about life at Highclere today about the ghosts, and curses; the gardens, what it's like living with a film crew; and what it's like to work here. So I've written A Year at Highclere picking up a different theme in each chapter.
One chapter is about what it has been like living with a film crew for 15 years. There are stories about accidents, such as when one crew member used a valuable table as an ironing board and a scaffolding pole nearly hit a Van Dyck on the first day.
There are also tales about my dogs, which are so precious to me. There's a chapter about when the late Queen and Prince Philip first came to stay. And another about how I thought I'd married Mr Darcy and found that I'd married a list of liabilities!
I'm godmother to a Viking Cruises' riverboat called Skadi and will be going on my first cruise up the Rhine next April. My husband is godfather to the Viking Ra which sails the River Nile, while our son christened the Viking Hathor and spoke in Arabic and English at the ship's naming ceremony in Egypt.
It's lovely working with a family-run business focused on travel and exploration. Viking sponsored Downton Abbey on PBS and is usually involved with the Downton films.
Tutankhamun was the first global media event. The first earl was an extraordinary man and an essential driver in finding the tomb.
Highclere received a location fee for Downton Abbey but we weren't part of its financial success. But it gave me a chance to write books, which is a great way of marketing and sharing Highclere. Book writing isn't particularly profitable, but I love it and it's something I do for myself.
Costs have gone up and we're always looking for ways to cut our cloth at Highclere. It'll be a tough summer. When we might have once taken on two people we've taken on just one because of the increase we have to pay in national insurance.
Also since Brexit, people aren't coming here to work. We've not gone back into hosting large weddings. I don't know if things will change. To quote Carson – 'you have to travel with optimism'.
I feel very fortunate having a foothold in both London and the countryside. If you're considering moving from London to the country, I would say, don't take your London expectations with you – just enjoy where you are. Try to hold back and observe those around you.
A Year at Highclere: Secrets and Stories from the Real Downton Abbey by the Countess of Carnarvon, published by Penguin, is out on 4 September. Downton Abbey: the Grand Finale is set to be released on 12 September.