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The Accidental Duchess: From Farmer's Daughter to Belvoir Castle
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.
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.
344 pages, Kindle Edition
Published September 15, 2022
39 people are currently reading
254 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
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October 19, 2022
⤅ This book felt like a modern-day fairytale, but emphasis on 'modern'.
So at the end we have the prince cheating on the princess (or rather, duke cheating on the duchess) while the duchess goes on to find love with an estate worker, a la Lady Chatterley.
The road that led to me reading this book is a long one. It actually started about ten years ago, when I first got interested in aristocratic genealogy (a hobby I've mentioned quite a few times on Goodreads, mostly when romance authors are screwing up their attempts at writing royal heroes). The current duke's daughter, Violet, has a popular Instagram account, which I checked out after I'd traced her family tree; she at that time worked for an event planning company and helped me get work experience there when I emailed her. Cue a very fun week of helping to set up for London Fashion Week 2017.
This book is the autobiography of her mother, Emma. Born the daughter of a prosperous Welsh farmer, she does have a very upper-middle-class upbringing (boarding school, Pony Club, working as a chalet girl, etc) but doesn't initially realise that the guy calling himself David Granby is a real-life marquess. They meet at a party, end up marrying, and in due course they have five children. When her father-in-law dies, they become the Duke and Duchess of Rutland, owners of the sprawling stately home Belvoir and several hundred acres of land. But as she shows, it's not all ballgowns and shooting parties. Keeping an estate like Belvoir running profitably is very hard work.
What really made me enjoy this book is the unexpected honesty. Emma is unflinching when it comes to her husband's affairs, and the effect this has on her emotionally. The prose is also threaded with wry humour, although each chapter can feel a little disjointed.
I think you probably won't enjoy this book unless you're prepared to deal with 200+ pages of social connections and privilege. (To give an example, the very first time Emma meets one of David's friends, the sister of Princess Diana is among them). However, if you can get past that, it's an interesting look at the modern-day British aristocracy: still pretty louche and dissolute, but now having to work a lot harder to fund that lifestyle.
So at the end we have the prince cheating on the princess (or rather, duke cheating on the duchess) while the duchess goes on to find love with an estate worker, a la Lady Chatterley.
The road that led to me reading this book is a long one. It actually started about ten years ago, when I first got interested in aristocratic genealogy (a hobby I've mentioned quite a few times on Goodreads, mostly when romance authors are screwing up their attempts at writing royal heroes). The current duke's daughter, Violet, has a popular Instagram account, which I checked out after I'd traced her family tree; she at that time worked for an event planning company and helped me get work experience there when I emailed her. Cue a very fun week of helping to set up for London Fashion Week 2017.
This book is the autobiography of her mother, Emma. Born the daughter of a prosperous Welsh farmer, she does have a very upper-middle-class upbringing (boarding school, Pony Club, working as a chalet girl, etc) but doesn't initially realise that the guy calling himself David Granby is a real-life marquess. They meet at a party, end up marrying, and in due course they have five children. When her father-in-law dies, they become the Duke and Duchess of Rutland, owners of the sprawling stately home Belvoir and several hundred acres of land. But as she shows, it's not all ballgowns and shooting parties. Keeping an estate like Belvoir running profitably is very hard work.
What really made me enjoy this book is the unexpected honesty. Emma is unflinching when it comes to her husband's affairs, and the effect this has on her emotionally. The prose is also threaded with wry humour, although each chapter can feel a little disjointed.
I think you probably won't enjoy this book unless you're prepared to deal with 200+ pages of social connections and privilege. (To give an example, the very first time Emma meets one of David's friends, the sister of Princess Diana is among them). However, if you can get past that, it's an interesting look at the modern-day British aristocracy: still pretty louche and dissolute, but now having to work a lot harder to fund that lifestyle.
October 13, 2022
An interesting glimpse into the life of England's modern aristocracy. I was less fascinated less by the actual events of Mrs. Manners' life, and more by her voice and tone.
It's rare to have the chance to listen to a member of a different social class talk candidly about themselves. Geographically, Mrs. Manners and I live near each other. But we may as well live in different universes - our daily routines, our expectations from life, our worries, etc. are so wildly different. (PS. We live near enough that I have heard rumours about what it's like to work for her... not good!)
Humanising: Her struggles with bullying and dyslexia, her love for her children
Surprising: Her reactions to her miscarriages and her husband's infidelity, her fondness for alternative medicine
Exotic: The boarding schools, the ski trips, the nannies, the maids, the ponies, the members-only clubs
Out of touch: Complaining about the inheritance tax, the very-clearly-fake story demonising the women in the NHS maternity ward
For more from Emma Manners, check out her instagram @duchessrutland and her podcast.
It's rare to have the chance to listen to a member of a different social class talk candidly about themselves. Geographically, Mrs. Manners and I live near each other. But we may as well live in different universes - our daily routines, our expectations from life, our worries, etc. are so wildly different. (PS. We live near enough that I have heard rumours about what it's like to work for her... not good!)
Humanising: Her struggles with bullying and dyslexia, her love for her children
Surprising: Her reactions to her miscarriages and her husband's infidelity, her fondness for alternative medicine
Exotic: The boarding schools, the ski trips, the nannies, the maids, the ponies, the members-only clubs
Out of touch: Complaining about the inheritance tax, the very-clearly-fake story demonising the women in the NHS maternity ward
For more from Emma Manners, check out her instagram @duchessrutland and her podcast.
June 10, 2023
An insight into a world of inherited wealth and privilege. The Duchess lacks awareness and true honesty, despite the revelations. The impact on the environment. On the families who lived there for generations. I still don’t understand having children but sending them away at 8.
January 28, 2023
The Accidental Duchess: From Farmer's Daughter to Belvoir Castle by Emma Manners Duchess of Rutland
It’s very easy to think the life of a Duchess will be all luxury, tiaras & servants – the reality is rather different!
This book is Emma’s own story – the daughter of a Welsh farmer who struggled with school (especially Maths!), didn’t complete college, drifted through various jobs, set up a business as an interior designer before meeting & falling in love with a man who she later discovered was heir to a dukedom! Emma settled into married life, running another small but successful business from a house on her parents-in-law estate and was enjoying being a Mum to 3 daughters and pregnant with her 4th child when her father-in-law, the 10th Duke of Rutland, died. Emma & her husband became the Duke & Duchess of Rutland and had to take on the burden of running the Belvoir Estate.
After some advice from the inimitable Duchess of Devonshire, who had turned the fortunes of Chatsworth around, Emma rolled up her sleeves and got stuck in to everything – from removing dead pigeons from the gutters to forcing changes to stop the home farm haemorrhaging money.
Through her hard work, the Belvoir Estate has been rejuvenated. She discovered original designs for the gardens that were drawn up by Capability Brown, renovated dilapidated rooms and ultimately turned the estate into a thriving business.
This is a brutally honest and interesting look at life at Belvoir Castle and the challenges that go with running an estate like this whilst also maintaining a family life. There is no doubt that there is a lot of luxury (famous names are scattered throughout the book) but there is far more hard work happening “behind the scenes”.
With plenty of anecdotes and humour, Emma’s voice and down-to earth attitude shine through. She gives plenty of credit to her hard-working parents and ensured that her children spent holidays on the family farm or in a caravan in Wales, just as much as they did with their aristocratic relations.
Ultimately it is an interesting look at modern British aristocracy and by the end of the book, I couldn’t help but admire Emma’s determination. Her refusal to divorce her husband in order to save the Estate for future generations & her stoic reaction to miscarriages will be unbelievable to some readers but I see a familiar strength and fortitude. In latter years, the Duke & Duchess have both found new partners and live amicably in separate parts of the castle. They remain great friends.
#theaccidentalduchess #belvoircastle
It’s very easy to think the life of a Duchess will be all luxury, tiaras & servants – the reality is rather different!
This book is Emma’s own story – the daughter of a Welsh farmer who struggled with school (especially Maths!), didn’t complete college, drifted through various jobs, set up a business as an interior designer before meeting & falling in love with a man who she later discovered was heir to a dukedom! Emma settled into married life, running another small but successful business from a house on her parents-in-law estate and was enjoying being a Mum to 3 daughters and pregnant with her 4th child when her father-in-law, the 10th Duke of Rutland, died. Emma & her husband became the Duke & Duchess of Rutland and had to take on the burden of running the Belvoir Estate.
After some advice from the inimitable Duchess of Devonshire, who had turned the fortunes of Chatsworth around, Emma rolled up her sleeves and got stuck in to everything – from removing dead pigeons from the gutters to forcing changes to stop the home farm haemorrhaging money.
Through her hard work, the Belvoir Estate has been rejuvenated. She discovered original designs for the gardens that were drawn up by Capability Brown, renovated dilapidated rooms and ultimately turned the estate into a thriving business.
This is a brutally honest and interesting look at life at Belvoir Castle and the challenges that go with running an estate like this whilst also maintaining a family life. There is no doubt that there is a lot of luxury (famous names are scattered throughout the book) but there is far more hard work happening “behind the scenes”.
With plenty of anecdotes and humour, Emma’s voice and down-to earth attitude shine through. She gives plenty of credit to her hard-working parents and ensured that her children spent holidays on the family farm or in a caravan in Wales, just as much as they did with their aristocratic relations.
Ultimately it is an interesting look at modern British aristocracy and by the end of the book, I couldn’t help but admire Emma’s determination. Her refusal to divorce her husband in order to save the Estate for future generations & her stoic reaction to miscarriages will be unbelievable to some readers but I see a familiar strength and fortitude. In latter years, the Duke & Duchess have both found new partners and live amicably in separate parts of the castle. They remain great friends.
#theaccidentalduchess #belvoircastle
April 13, 2023
I was very interested to listen to this book because as a child, I lived at Redmile which is a just a couple of miles away from Belvoir Castle. Back in the 80s we went to Belvoir Castle car park on Sunday afternoons to buy takeaway ice-creams. I only visited the castle once, in the 90s I think. We went to a teddy bears picnic hosted by the 10th Duke. We went inside the castle too. It was dusty and dreary at that time. I don't remember the place having much of a local community spirit then.
Emma Manners is definitely a force to have on board looking after the castle. There's no doubt she's turned the castle into a commercial enterprise and put it on the map.
Her childhood was really interesting, as was her early working life.
There were a few bits that didn't need to be in the book. Especially the part where she has her babies at Nottingham City hospital (rather than going private) to save money and then criticises people on benefits. She was disgusted (listening to her tone of voice) that the new mums were going to get free milk formula. Well, surprise, everyone is out to save a buck, even poor people. I don't think she was disgusted with the fact they were going to feed formula milk to their babies because later in the book she talks about her nanny helping her to mix up sma formula milk for her baby so clearly no qualms with breast being best.
I enjoyed the parts covering the history of the castle and the people who lived there.
The constant name dropping, not so much.
Emma Manners is definitely a force to have on board looking after the castle. There's no doubt she's turned the castle into a commercial enterprise and put it on the map.
Her childhood was really interesting, as was her early working life.
There were a few bits that didn't need to be in the book. Especially the part where she has her babies at Nottingham City hospital (rather than going private) to save money and then criticises people on benefits. She was disgusted (listening to her tone of voice) that the new mums were going to get free milk formula. Well, surprise, everyone is out to save a buck, even poor people. I don't think she was disgusted with the fact they were going to feed formula milk to their babies because later in the book she talks about her nanny helping her to mix up sma formula milk for her baby so clearly no qualms with breast being best.
I enjoyed the parts covering the history of the castle and the people who lived there.
The constant name dropping, not so much.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 31, 2022
Last chapter was a bit rambly, but the rest was very interesting
August 9, 2023
The Accidental Duchess taught me that a disability must not hinder you from living a full and rich life of your own choosing. Mrs. Manners explains how she has a reading issue and how she compensated for it through memorizing information in order for her to succeed in her education. She never leather disability stop her from being the woman she became in life. She made something of herself as an interior designer and created a loving conversational relationship with her husband in the book that made their relationship flow despite their physical and learning ailments.
Lessons learned and Key Takeaways
1- Never let your disability stop you from achieving your dreams no matter what
2- Find a life partner who will support you positively and make your life flow seamlessly
3- Work hard and work often and don’t be afraid to make sacrifices in relationships
4- Money is time and time is money. So be frugal and resourceful as much as possible
Biggest Takeaway
Love flows easily through conversation. Be honest. Be open. Communicate often.
Quote in Summary
“The essence of love is communication through voice and in gestures that mean so much to your life partner. Communicate well through improving each other daily through constructive feedback, positive praise and lots of room for personal growth and individual satisfaction in doing what you both love.‘“
Conversation flows easily as a mockingbird
In the gentle evening's embrace,
Where shadows dance and dreams find solace,
Conversation weaves its melodies,
As a mockingbird sings with effortless ease.
Words flutter like feathers in flight,
Whispering secrets, dancing in the moonlight,
A symphony of thoughts, both light and deep,
Shared between souls, in a unity so sweet.
Like nature's troubadour, the mockingbird sings,
Its song, a tapestry of voices on wings,
It echoes the heart's desires and fears,
In harmony, it soothes, wipes away tears.
Conversation, a river that flows,
Meandering, twisting, where it goes,
Unrestrained, it carves paths unseen,
Binding hearts, bridging the gap between.
Through laughter, it paints colors bright,
Through wisdom, it guides, in life's darkest night,
With empathy, it cradles, mends broken hearts,
As resilience blossoms, a brand new start.
Oh, let conversation be the balm,
In a world at times, filled with harm,
Let mockingbird's gift of effortless flow,
Remind us the power of stories we sow.
So, let us speak, with open hearts,
Listening, understanding, as each voice imparts,
For conversation, when given its due,
Has the power to heal, to deeply renew.
(8/9/2023) @ 6:48 pm
Lessons learned and Key Takeaways
1- Never let your disability stop you from achieving your dreams no matter what
2- Find a life partner who will support you positively and make your life flow seamlessly
3- Work hard and work often and don’t be afraid to make sacrifices in relationships
4- Money is time and time is money. So be frugal and resourceful as much as possible
Biggest Takeaway
Love flows easily through conversation. Be honest. Be open. Communicate often.
Quote in Summary
“The essence of love is communication through voice and in gestures that mean so much to your life partner. Communicate well through improving each other daily through constructive feedback, positive praise and lots of room for personal growth and individual satisfaction in doing what you both love.‘“
Conversation flows easily as a mockingbird
In the gentle evening's embrace,
Where shadows dance and dreams find solace,
Conversation weaves its melodies,
As a mockingbird sings with effortless ease.
Words flutter like feathers in flight,
Whispering secrets, dancing in the moonlight,
A symphony of thoughts, both light and deep,
Shared between souls, in a unity so sweet.
Like nature's troubadour, the mockingbird sings,
Its song, a tapestry of voices on wings,
It echoes the heart's desires and fears,
In harmony, it soothes, wipes away tears.
Conversation, a river that flows,
Meandering, twisting, where it goes,
Unrestrained, it carves paths unseen,
Binding hearts, bridging the gap between.
Through laughter, it paints colors bright,
Through wisdom, it guides, in life's darkest night,
With empathy, it cradles, mends broken hearts,
As resilience blossoms, a brand new start.
Oh, let conversation be the balm,
In a world at times, filled with harm,
Let mockingbird's gift of effortless flow,
Remind us the power of stories we sow.
So, let us speak, with open hearts,
Listening, understanding, as each voice imparts,
For conversation, when given its due,
Has the power to heal, to deeply renew.
(8/9/2023) @ 6:48 pm
May 3, 2023
Quite an interesting read , loved reading about the restoration of the garden and Belvoir Castle. I have visited some stately homes while visiting UK and can certainly understand how it must be difficult to keep them maintained but the Duchess has such flair and inspiration to look outside the square to keep the income coming , she is to be congratulated. I loved the cover of the book and I am sure her solid upbringing on a Welsh farm has helped shape her into the woman she has become . A worthwhile read for anyone who enjoys reading about strong rural women
Want to read
September 25, 2022I read a review on the Sunday Telegraph 18 September 2022 .
Emma mentioned dyslexia & difficulty with figures .
If she is Chief Executive of the Rutland Estates ,
she must be coping well .
She has mentioned musical & equestrian interests .
She has also interviewed chatelaines of large houses open to the public & of estate businesses,
f her podcast " Duchess "
which can be followed on Spotify .
December 1, 2022
I wanted to read this book after The Duchess was interviewed on tv. She came across very down to earth and ‘normal’. This did come across in her book too. She still had the same problems we all have in having a family and incorporating a working life but on a much grander scale.
Sometimes the earlier Duke and Duchesse’s lives were gone into in to much depth for me but equally it showed me how far Emma had come by the time I finished reading
Sometimes the earlier Duke and Duchesse’s lives were gone into in to much depth for me but equally it showed me how far Emma had come by the time I finished reading
July 3, 2023
I wouldn't say that this book is particularly well written -- it's very much in a stream-of-consciousness style, and there are times where it wanders freely amidst the author's memories. It is, however, compellingly honest, full of love, and leaves me with a great deal of respect for Emma Manners and the work of the castle that she is devoted to. I also appreciate that families can mean a lot of different things, in different configurations.
Advanced readers' copy provided by Edelweiss.
Advanced readers' copy provided by Edelweiss.
January 10, 2024
Loved reading this after visiting Belvoir Castle. I knew nothing of the Duchess of Rutland, but now I feel like she is an old friend. This was a delightful journey from her childhood to present day. She shares good memories along with some bad, and gives plenty of historical tidbits about her ancestry and Belvoir’s past residents. Now I feel like I need to go back to Belvoir to experience everything again through her eyes, and I have to go to the Welsh coast!
May 2, 2024
Strangely formatted chapters that leapt around without cohesion.
She's a hardworking and entrepreneurial certainly and no doubt good fun.
Her husband was strangely MIA during most of the action that took place. Not sure if that's due to their relationship situation or he didn't involve himself in anything that was too demanding /outside his comfort zone/ womens work.
I do want to visit the Castle now so the book has done it's job.
She's a hardworking and entrepreneurial certainly and no doubt good fun.
Her husband was strangely MIA during most of the action that took place. Not sure if that's due to their relationship situation or he didn't involve himself in anything that was too demanding /outside his comfort zone/ womens work.
I do want to visit the Castle now so the book has done it's job.
November 16, 2022
Rounding it up from 3.5 stars.
It’s an interesting look at life at Belvoir and the trials and tribulations that go with it. I think I prefer biographies rather than auto-biographies as normally backed up by reams of letters, research etc.
She has done an amazing job though and I would love to visit Belvoir!
It’s an interesting look at life at Belvoir and the trials and tribulations that go with it. I think I prefer biographies rather than auto-biographies as normally backed up by reams of letters, research etc.
She has done an amazing job though and I would love to visit Belvoir!
October 2, 2024
Fascinating read, including lots of personal details/stories as well as history. Can't wait to visit Belvoir again, as I'll definitely see it differently. Didn't rate it a 5 as I felt it sometimes went off on a tangent.
July 26, 2025
Book 25. I’m not a huge fan of biographies, but this is a great read. Very interesting. Talks about her life and the work she has done at Belvior to make it profitable. 📚🤓 #tsreadinglist2025 #tsrecommendations
January 20, 2023
Very enjoyable.
March 16, 2023
Was interesting enough while it covered her childhood. I lost interest and gave up soon after that.
April 2, 2023
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Emma is funny and relatable. It was also really interesting hearing the behind the scenes of actually running a large estate/ Castle.
May 27, 2023
This easy-to-read memoir of Emma Manners, Duchess of Rutland, kept me turning the pages late at night.
June 5, 2023
Always enjoy a read about "how the other half live".
June 7, 2023
A guilty pleasure. Thoroughly enjoyed this and read it really quickly. Oh, how the other half live.
August 25, 2023
We stayed in the house the duchess and her family stayed in at Aberdovey so wanted to read about their stays. Enjoyed the book and have a new found respect for the duchess.
December 8, 2023
Fascinating…I loved listening to the Duchess read her book.
December 16, 2024
Really enjoyed this honest insight into her life
January 4, 2025
A great tale, especially well-told (and well read, if you go with the audiobook).
August 6, 2025
Something of an oddity.
December 18, 2025
Fantastic book!
December 16, 2023
As a big fan of history and many historical shows like Downtown Abbey I find myself very interested in how people live in these massive castles today. Reading the synopsis on this book I was really excited to get a more in depth look at how these estate are run and the difficulties of managing a legacy while keeping it afloat financially. I will say that the book delivers on some of this. Is is very slow to start and while it is important to understand how the author's upbringing impacted her life, I did not need such minute details about everything. The middle is probably the best part where it gets into more about estate management and the finances of running large manor houses. I did learn a lot from this part. But then again in the latter third the book just drags on the details of the authors life that really did not need to be included. Overall this book feels bloated and like it was stretched to try and make a higher word count. If curious to read get it from a library, but I wouldn't really recomend it otherwise.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews