The accidental duchess : from farmer's daughter to Belvoir Castle

'The Duchess does indeed seem a remarkable woman . . . this is an engaging book' – Lynn Barber, Daily Telegraph When Emma Watkins, the pony-mad daughter of a Welsh farmer, imagined her future, she imagined following in her mother's footsteps to marry a farmer of her own. But then she fell in love with David Manners, having no idea that he was heir to one of the most senior hereditary titles in the land. When David succeeded his father, Emma found herself the chatelaine of Belvoir Castle, ancestral home of the Dukes of Rutland. She had to cope with five boisterous children while faced with a vast estate in desperate need of modernization and staff who wanted nothing to change – it was a daunting responsibility. Yet with sound advice from the doyenne of duchesses, Duchess 'Debo' of Devonshire, she met each challenge with optimism and gusto, including scaling the castle roof in a storm to unclog a flooding gutter, being caught in her nightdress by mesmerized Texan tourists and disguising herself as a cleaner to watch filming of The Crown . She even took on the castle ghosts . . . At times the problems she faced seemed insoluble yet, with her unstoppable energy and talent for thinking on the hoof, she won through, inspired by the vision and passion of those Rutland duchesses in whose footsteps she trod, and indeed the redoubtable and resourceful women who forged her, whose homes were not castles but remote farmhouses in the Radnorshire Hills. Vividly written and bursting with insights, The Accidental Duchess will appeal to everyone who has visited a stately home and wondered what it would be like to one day find yourself not only living there, but in charge of its future. Life In A Castle Isn’t Always A Fairytale, As The Duchess Of Rutland Vividly Illustrates In Her Fascinating, Revealing And Funny Autobiography. When Emma Watkins, The Pony-mad Daughter Of A Welsh Farmer, Imagined Her Future It Was As The Wife Of A Younger Version Of Her Father. But Then She Fell In Love With David Manners, Having No Idea That He Was Heir To One Of The Most Senior Hereditary Titles In The Land. When David Succeeded His Father, Against All The Odds Emma Became The Chatelaine Of Belvoir Castle, Ancestral Home Of The Dukes Of Rutland. She Had To Cope With Five Boisterous Children While Faced With A Vast Estate In Desperate Need Of Modernisation And Staff Who Wanted Nothing To Change - It Was A Daunting Responsibility. Yet With Sound Advice From The Doyenne Of Duchesses, ‘debo’ Devonshire, She Met Each Challenge With Optimism And Gusto, Including Scaling The Castle Roof In A Storm To Unclog A Flooding Gutter; Being Caught In Her Nightdress By Mesmerised Texan Tourists; And Disguising Herself As A Cleaner To Watch Filming Of The Crown. She Even Took On The Castle Ghosts . . . At Times The Problems She Faced Seemed Insoluble, Yet With Her Unstoppable Energy And Talent For Thinking On The Hoof, She Won Through, Inspired By The Vision And Passion Of Those Rutland Duchesses In Whose Footsteps She Trod, And Indeed The Redoubtable And Resourceful Women Who Forged Her, Whose Homes Were Not Castles But Remote Farmhouses In The Radnorshire Hills. Vividly Written And Bursting With Insights, The Accidental Duchess Will Appeal To Everyone Who Has Visited A Stately Home And Wondered What It Would Be Like To Live There. "Life in a castle isn’t always a fairytale, as the Duchess of Rutland reveals in her charming, funny and eye-opening autobiography.Never in her wildest dreams did Emma Watkins, a Welsh farmer’s daughter, imagine she would marry into the aristocracy but then she fell in love with David Manners, heir to the duchy of Rutland, and found herself in a strange and glamorous new world. When David inherited the dukedom, Emma became chatelaine of Belvoir Castle, with its illustrious history, 225 rooms (one full of chamber pots) and some particularly unfriendly ghosts.She also had to cope with five young children, an estate in need of modernisation and staff who didn't want anything to change. The Duchess of Devonshire gave her sound advice, there were karaoke nights with Elizabeth Hurley and Hugh Grant - but she was also caught in her nightie by 30 Texan tourists, had to climb onto the leaking castle roof in a storm to clear the gutters and disguised herself as a cleaner to snoop on the filming of The Crown. And when her marriage broke down, she would have to draw on all her strength to protect her family and find herself again.Vividly written, The Accidental Duchess takes us on an entertaining and at times moving journey with a remarkable woman."--Publishers' website A Unique And Fascinating Insight Into The Life Of An Accidental Duchess.