The year 2022 is quite a busy one for Highclere Castle and its owners: The second “Downton Abbey” movie, shot on location on the lavish estate in Hampshire, England, debuted on May 20, 2022, in the United States. November 2022 will mark 100 years since Egyptologist Howard Carter and the fifth Earl of Carnarvon discovered the Tomb of King Tutankhamun in Egypt—an anniversary celebrated in an upcoming book by Lady Fiona Carnarvon. We spoke with her about her love for history, gardening, traditions—and how she chose the color for the new wallpaper in the castle’s famous library.
The rain pours over the scenic grounds as my cab stops at one of the many forks in the road, leading up to what is probably the most viewed castle of our times: Highclere Castle, where the uber-successful TV series “Downton Abbey” was shot. A man directs visitors to the different parts of the estate owned by George Herbert, eighth Earl of Carnarvon, and his wife, Lady Carnarvon. The splendid mood I’m in due to the fact that I’m overly punctual for the interview with Lady Carnarvon, unfortunately, is not to last. It suddenly adapts to match the weather when I realize that I wasn’t actually expected in person—but to do a phone interview with “Lady C,” as her staff calls the countess….