Lady Carnarvon's Official Podcast
My husband, the 8th Earl of Carnarvon, and I have the enormous privilege and pleasure of living in, and taking care of, my husband’s family home, Highclere Castle, which is better known to many people as the setting for the popular television programme “Downton Abbey”. Thanks to this series, our home has, over the last few years, become one of the most well-known and iconic houses in the world. My Podcast is my way of trying to share the stories and heritage of this wonderful building and estate, and all the people and animals that live and work here, so that you can get to know and love it as I do.
- Update frequency
- every 22 days
- Average duration
- 28 minutes
- Episodes
- 88
- Years Active
- 2020 - 2025
Historian Bettany Hughes
Happy New Year! What better way to start 2024 than by welcoming historian, author, broadcaster and good friend Bettany Hughes to 'the real Downton Abbey'.
You can hear more episodes of Lady Carnarvon'…
Actress Emma Samms
December is traditionally the month for giving so it's perhaps apt that my guest this month is the founder of a wonderful charity Starlight.
Starlight raises funds for children’s play in healthcare, s…
Author Victoria Hislop
My guest this month is the author Victoria Hislop.
Victoria has entranced us all with her wonderful stories about Greece. Her debut book 'The Island' became an international bestseller, and her lates…
Egyptologist Dr Colleen Darnell
This month's podcast is all about one of my favourite topics Egyptology. Joining me at Highclere Castle is Dr Colleen Darnell, an Egyptologist, author and educator.
Her latest book 'Egypt’s Golden Co…
Smiles
My guest this month is one of best girl friends. I've known 'smiles' since I met her at university and she's remained a close friend ever since. Recently she's worked alongside me in the preparation …
The Power of Geography: Tim Marshall
It's August and my guest this month is the journalist and best selling author Tim Marshall.
“Prisoners of Geography” has sold over 2 million copies and I have much enjoyed his recent book the “Powe…
Victoria & Abdul: Shrabani Basu
My guest this month is a dear friend, and renowned author, Shrabani Basu.
Shrabani is an Indian journalist and historian who is perhaps best known for writing the true story of 'Victoria & Abdul' abou…
Historian James Holland
My guest this month is the WW2 history author James Holland. I've got to know James over the years having appeared as a guest on several occasions at the wonderful history festival he founded. The Ch…
Highclere's Archivist: David Rymill
Often the starting point for one of my books on the history of Highclere Castle is a conversation with David Rymill. David is our archivist and there's not much he doesn't know about the family histo…
Jane Austen's House: Lizzie Dunford
Jane Austen is one of England’s most celebrated and greatest novelists and Hampshire - the county where Highclere Castle is situated - played an important part in her life, not just as the place she…
Saving the Planet: Laura Tobin
We're back after a month away to recharge our podcast batteries!
My guest for March is someone very familiar to British TV audiences - weather presenter Laura Tobin.
Laura has just written a book cal…
Flying into the New Year: George Bacon
Happy New Year!
We begin 2023 in conversation with one of the people who has helped me unearth the rich aviation history that surrounds Highclere Castle. I first met George Bacon at an event to comme…
Susannah Constantine
My guest this month has just published a wonderfully amusing book that looks back on her incredible life. Susannah Constantine is best known as a TV fashion expert, but as she tells me in this podcas…
Highclere to Tutankhamun: Joann Fletcher
The theme of our recent Highclere Festival was the path to the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun. It is an extraordinary tale of two unconventional men, Lord Carnarvon and Howard Carter, neither…
Reflections on the Queen
The death of Her Majesty the Queen last month was both sad and unsettling. My own experience of meeting her was entirely due to her long friendship with my father-in-law and mother-in-law. In fact m…
Wildlife Cameraman: Gavin Thurston
I recently had the pleasure of sitting down in the castle library to speak to Gavin Thurston. Combining lenses and penmanship, he has written a fabulous book called “Journey into the Wild, The Secre…
Sustaining the Future
The recent record high temperatures in the UK has brought climate change back into the headlines. Seasoned climatologists who knew we'd one day break through the 40C barrier have spoken about being s…
Visiting the US: Newport
Last week I was in the US, and I was honoured to be invited by the Newport Preservation Society to speak at a number of events in order to help them raise money to sustain some great houses they loo…
The Highclere Show
After 36 months it's been a joy to welcome back the Highclere Show. It's a festival and celebration of country life that is always great entertainment for the thousands that come here every May. In …
Target Ovarian Cancer: Emma Kane
My guest this month is a wonderful lady called Emma Kane. As well as being a hugely successful businesswoman Emma is Chair of Target Ovarian Cancer. It's a charity I have a particular interest in ha…