A quick, slightly overwhelmed update from me.

The pre-orders for Secrets of an English Country House have come in faster than any of us expected—so much so that my publisher has already gone back to print more copies as you know. Here’s what Alice (commissioning editor) told me:

“Julie, it’s been incredible to see such a strong wave of pre-orders coming in – your community has really shown up in the most wonderful way. We’ve already printed more copies in response, and we’ve no doubt this will be a must-have Christmas gift. This level of early support is so important, helping more readers discover both the book and the story of Mapperton.”

I wanted you to hear that directly, because none of it happens without you.

If you’ve been waiting to pre-order—or are still deciding—here’s a small taste of what’s inside. No one who built Mapperton ever agreed on what it should look like, and 500 years later, you can still see the argument: Tudor ceilings, a Georgian front bolted on top, Arts and Crafts flourishes added later by someone who clearly liked texture. Every generation simply overruled the last, and somehow it all still stands.

I used to think “authentic” meant one period, perfectly preserved. Living here taught me it means every layer left visible—arguments and all. That’s the house I tried to capture in this book.

Pre-order here

Pre-order before 23 September and you’ll receive:

• A signed bookplate

• 3 months free Mapperton Live! membership

• A Christmas card from Luke and me

Given what my publisher just told me, I’d love for this to land in even more homes before the holidays. If you’ve been on the fence, this is the moment.

With love, xx Julie

Share American Countess

Well, what a stretch it has been! I’ve spent dawn-til-dusk days in one of the most beautiful gardens in the country with soil under my nails, celebrated a garden seven years in the making, stood in front of the most breathtaking royal clothes I’ve ever seen, and somehow packed more into a single Wednesday than feels entirely reasonable. Pour yourself something and settle in…there’s a lot to share!

In this newsletter, I’ll be sharing:

· The Rory Hutton x Mapperton collection

· A little book reminder

· My apprenticeship at Newby Hall

· Inside Queen Elizabeth II’s wardrobe

· A historic houses weekend in Wiltshire

· A certain series…

· My most chaotic day yet

· Another marathon?!

Let’s dive in!

The Rory Hutton x Mapperton collection is here!

I teased this last time, and now I can finally share it: we’re working with the award-winning designer Rory Hutton on a strictly limited-edition silk scarf and pocket square, with every penny raised going towards the restoration of the West Room!

Tudor overmantel, mullion windows, Georgian sash windows. It’s one of Mapperton’s most loved spaces, and one in urgent need of renovation.

This is the new ‘Buy Me a Coffee’ in which you get something beautiful back!

Rory hand-illustrates and then lino cuts each design in his studio before it’s printed onto silk by artisans in Italy, and for this collection he’s woven the iconic heritage of Mapperton into something truly collectible. What’s on it so far…. the 18th Century Eagles of course, the Peacock from the 18th century tapestry, my frill swim cap and so much more plus a surprise motif that I’m making myself (under Rory’s instruction) later this week! He’s worked with the Royal Collection Trust, the V&A, the British Museum, Westminster Abbey and The King at Highgrove—so you can imagine how special this is.

Here are a couple examples of his work:

The scarf is £200, the pocket square £100, or both together for £260. It’s a strictly limited run! Once they’re gone, they’re gone.

Join the waitlist to see the design before anyone else and be first to pre-order.

Get on the waitlist!

And while I have you…the book!

A quick update! The pre-orders for Secrets of an English Country House: A Year at Mapperton continue to mean the world to me, and—as I shared last time—they’re the very reason I’ve just signed for a second book.

If you’ve been meaning to order, now really is a wonderful moment.

Preorder now!

I was an apprentice!

Last time I told you I was off to Newby Hall and Gardens in my boiler suit, with a Thursday surprise I was saving.

Here it is: I spent the week there on what was, in essence, an apprenticeship, and it was every bit as exceptional as I’d hoped.

Lucinda and Richard Compton could not have been more generous, putting me up in the Hall itself—a glorious Christopher Wren and Robert Adam house, filled with extraordinary Chippendale furniture.

My days began at 8am in the gardens with the head gardener, Lawrence, and his team. I learned how to garden properly—my knowledge of weeds, in particular, has expanded no end!—and helped prepare for the reopening of the Edwardian rock garden, built by Richard’s great-great-grandfather. Tea breaks in the mess room with the whole team were some of my favourite moments of all.

I’m now managing Mapperton’s Italianate formal gardens, so I came home with a head full of ideas I can’t wait to put into practice.

And the reason for all that preparation: the rock garden’s grand reopening, seven years in the making—nine, if you count two years of Covid. The night before, we had a small dinner in Newby’s gorgeous orangery: lobster, salmon and beef, my idea of surf and turf, with the very best conversation. Lawrence, it turns out, is not only a brilliant head gardener but a gifted florist too, and his flowers on the table were simply incredible.

The next day was the proper celebration. It was a reception with canapés in the statue gallery for some 100 to 150 guests: journalists, friends of the Comptons, and well-wishers who’d come from far and wide. Gyles Brandreth did the honours, cutting the garland to officially reopen the rock garden. Plus, Stephane Jarvis and Philip from Chateau Diaries were there as well and before you ask: of course we filmed together for our respective YouTube channels!

What a week!

I saw the Queen’s clothes!

And straight after that week, I spent a morning at the King’s Gallery for Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style, and I’m still thinking about it. Even with a booked ticket there was a queue out of the door, and the moment I stepped inside I understood exactly why.

The Royal Christening Robe, commissioned by Queen Victoria in 1841 and worn by every royal baby for 130 years. Norman Hartnell’s wedding dress, with its thirteen-foot train inspired by Botticelli’s Primavera. The coronation dress, embroidered with the floral emblems of every nation over which she reigned. I stood in front of each one rather overcome.

I’ve written all about it over on my Substack—do go and read it, and then get yourself a ticket. The exhibition has been so popular it’s been extended all the way to April 2027.

Gilded Heiresses

Inside Queen Elizabeth II's Wardrobe

Honestly, I should have known. Even with a booked ticket, there was already a queue snaking out of the door when I arrived. And the moment I saw it, I thought: of course there is. Because this is not just an exhibition. This is Queen Elizabeth II’s entire life, told through the most breathtaking clothes you have ever seen, and people are absolutely flocking…

Read more

6 days ago · 44 likes · 7 comments · Julie Montagu

A historic houses weekend in Wiltshire

Luke and I then headed to Wiltshire, where we stayed at the Hall in Bradford on Avon, which is a stunning Jacobean mansion built between 1610 and 1620, in what must be one of the most beautiful Georgian towns in the country.

We were there for our regional Historic Houses AGM (Luke sits on the Wessex committee), hosted this year at Belcombe Court, a grade-one-listed Georgian house set in 60 acres of formal gardens. We had dinner the evening before at Iford Manor and Gardens, which is one of the very first gardens I ever filmed for my American Countess YouTube channel, five years ago now.

How time flies!

There’s nothing quite like gathering with other historic house owners and custodians to compare notes on what’s going well this year, and what perhaps isn’t.

A certain series… (I can’t say much!)

I HAVE to be brief here: there’s a second season of a certain series we were part of last year, and we’ll be part of it again this year. I had a wonderful creative call with the team, and filming begins imminently.

I think you can probably guess…but my lips are sealed for now!

My most chaotic day yet

And then there was Wednesday, which was possibly the busiest day I’ve ever had at Mapperton.

Back-to-back meetings from half past eight: our filmmaker David, the builder helping me renovate the flat connected to the main house, the full team meeting, the kitchen garden, the formal gardens, social media and YouTube…

By ten to two I had precisely ten minutes to grab a salad and walk outside, bowl and fork in hand, to meet the Financial Times photographer.

There’s an article on the way, and when I admitted I’m not terribly good at dressing elegantly—you’ll usually find me in my red boiler suit—they simply said, “Wonderful, let’s do the red boiler suit.” So that’s exactly what we did!

After that came a wedding meeting, then filming in the Coach House Café kitchen with Christine, turning our kitchen garden produce into recipes, and finally a five o’clock meeting about a big project Luke and I are working on that I can’t breathe a word of yet…though some of you will find out soon.

The rest of the week was, in a word, filming. Lots and lots of filming.

Another marathon?!

I can hardly believe I’m typing this, but Emma, Jack, and I entered the ballot for the Copenhagen Marathon in 2027…

…and we’re in!

Yep, I’ve 100% caught the marathon bug.

So it’s Amsterdam this October, and now Copenhagen next May.

I’m not entirely sure what I’ve signed myself up for, but somehow that first accidental marathon in Florence got under my skin, and it seems running is in my blood now. We’ll see how long that lasts…

Thank you, as ever, for being here, for every pre-order, every kind note, every click. It truly does move the needle, and it’s what lets me keep sharing all of this with you. I feel very lucky indeed.

With love and gratitude,

xxJulie

Just over three months from today—24th September 2026—this book is in the world. In actual shops. In actual hands. After nearly two years of writing, photographing, archiving, researching and one or two moments of wondering if I’d ever finish it, Secrets of an English Country House: A Year at Mapperton is just over three months away.

Because if you’re on this newsletter, you’ve been part of this journey in some way. You’ve read the Alberta essays. You’ve watched the shoots. You’ve followed along as I’ve tried to make sense of what it means to live inside a piece of history and do justice to the people who came before us. This book is the answer I arrived at. And I cannot wait for you to hold it.

What’s inside?

A full year at Mapperton, season by season. The house as it was—and as it is today. The extraordinary people who shaped it and our family history, including Alberta Sturges, the American heiress who crossed the Atlantic during that Gilded Age ere and left behind thousands of letters in our archive. The garden. The collections. The community we are building. The objects that carry grief and joy in equal measure.

And photographs. So many beautiful photographs.

If you haven’t pre-ordered yet—now really is the moment.

Pre-orders close 23rd September 2026—the day before publication. And every single one matters enormously, shaping how booksellers and Amazon position and promote the book right through to launch day and beyond.

Order from Amazon, Bookshop.org or Barnes & Noble, then complete the form to claim your thank-you gifts:

✨ Patrons — exclusive live Q&A with me, monthly digital scrapbook of unpublished images, Patron-only signed bookplate, plus a surprise still to come.

✨ Not yet a Patron? — 3 months free Mapperton Live! membership, entry to win 1 of 100 spots in a live Q&A with me, signed downloadable bookplate, and a Christmas card from me and Luke by post.

Pre-order and claim your gifts here

Just over three months. Let’s make them count.

With love, as always. xx Julie

What a fortnight it has been…and what a fortnight is ahead. I’ve finished a year of ‘Gardening through the Seasons’, I’m off to one of my favourite gardens in the country with my boiler suit packed, I’ve wandered Chelsea with champagne in hand, belted out my favourite song under a circus tent, and I’ve signed something I’m longing to tell you about. Pull up a chair; there’s A LOT in this issue.

In this newsletter, I’ll be sharing:

· A second book (shh, it’s a secret!)

· A year of learning in the garden

· An apprenticeship of a lifetime

· The Chelsea Flower Show

· The Greatest Showman!

· My biggest-ever restoration project (the first to know is you)

· Another marathon?!

Let’s dive in!

A Second Book (very much a secret)

I can hardly believe I’m writing this, but the pre-order sales for Secrets of an English Country House: A Year at Mapperton have been so wonderfully strong that last week I signed for my second book.

I can’t say a word more than that just yet—hint, hint—but it would NOT be happening without you.

Every pre-order genuinely matters, and they have mattered hugely. So if you’ve been meaning to order, now really is the moment.

Pre-Order Now

My Year of Gardening

I’ve just finished my Gardening Through the Seasons course, run by Troy Scott Smith, the head gardener at Sissinghurst.

I’ve learned so much over the past year, and I’m endlessly grateful for the chance to learn from someone like Troy.

Now comes the best part: putting it all into practice in Mapperton’s Italianate formal gardens.

Stay tuned! There will be plenty to show you.

An Apprenticeship of a Lifetime at Newby Hall

As I write this, I’m about to leave for Newby Hall and Gardens—in my view, one of the top ten gardens in the country.

Lucinda Compton, who is custodian there alongside her husband Richard, has very kindly invited me up for what is, in essence, an apprenticeship.

I’ll be in my boiler suit from the early hours…and remember, in British summertime the sun rises just before 5am and doesn’t set until around 9:30pm! So there will be plenty of gardening hours.

A half day Monday, all day Tuesday and Wednesday, and then something rather special on the Thursday, working alongside Lucinda and the head gardener, Lawrence.

But I’ll save that Thursday surprise for the next newsletter…

Two Days at the Chelsea Flower Show

Straight after my gardening course, I drove back up to London for the Chelsea Flower Show preview party, where you beat the crowds and see as many gardens as you can while sipping champagne and nibbling canapés.

I got to see the King’s Foundation garden with no queues at all, and it was stunning: perennials and annuals cleverly woven through vegetables.

The next day I went back with my partner in crime, the interior designer extraordinaire Malcolm Winyard. It was a perfect day of sun and cloud!

We queued forty minutes this time for the King’s Foundation garden. It was worth it - even the second time around! We arrived at 11:30am and stayed until it closed at 8pm!

Chelsea has grown so wonderfully that it’s now full of brilliant British-made stallholders too. My favourite stall was Country Life, built like a library—so cool. I also treated myself to a pair of Japanese secateurs and fell for Elizabeth Scarlett’s travel bags!

The Greatest Showman…and a very un-British moment

Then it was back up to London, because Emma and Jack had bought me birthday tickets to Come Alive! The Greatest Showman Circus Spectacular at Earl’s Court.

They know I’m completely obsessed with that soundtrack!

We had wonderful pub food beforehand, then stepped into a huge tent of acrobats and every tune I love. I’d been waiting all night for “This Is Me,” my favourite, and when it finally came—second to last—the American in me simply stood up and belted it out from the back row!

Very interactive, very fun, and gloriously un-British of me. The Hugh Jackman of the night kept pointing my way: get up like this lady, get up, get up! What a night!

My biggest-ever restoration project—and you’ll be the first to know

I couldn’t get enough of Malcolm, so Malcolm, Rory Hutton and I are now collaborating on the most exciting thing I’ve taken on at Mapperton. Rory is a super talented textile designer who has worked with the King at Highgrove, the V&A’s Collection, the British Museum—the list goes on and on.

This is my biggest restoration project in the house, and there won’t be another like it. Malcolm is leading the design, and Rory is creating something unbelievably special. We had the loveliest evening at Mapperton—drinks and canapés outside in the warmth, then a fish dinner of sea bass that Luke had caught the day before, before getting to work on drawings and measurements.

We’ll be announcing this collaboration in the next couple of weeks—and you, lovely friends, will be the very first to hear.

I’m Marathon Training Again!

Training for the Amsterdam marathon is properly underway, and weight training has become my non-negotiable. I aim for strength work three times a week, plus of course my two-hour yoga class.

I clocked my second-fastest 10k recently, which I was thrilled with, and rounded off the week with a 16k run.

The momentum is very much there! And I’m excited to see how I’ll do in a marathon when I’ve actually trained for it!

All About the Dogs

I’ve just published a piece over at my Gilded Heiresses substack that I think you’ll really love: it’s all about dogs!

They are such a part of life here, and it was a joy to write.

Gilded Heiresses

The Four-Legged Companions of the Gilded Age

Long before pampered pooches were travelling first class, sporting monogrammed jumpers, and somehow attracting more admirers on Instagram than their owners, the elite of the nineteenth century knew the social power of a well-bred pet…

Read more

23 days ago · 35 likes · 1 comment · Julie Montagu

Thank you, as ever, for being here. Every pre-order, every kind note, every click really does move the needle…and it lets me keep sharing all of this with you. I feel very lucky indeed.

With love and gratitude,

Julie

I have two pieces of news and I am barely keeping it together.

First—because of you, because of your pre-orders and your shares and your recommendations to friends—Secrets of an English Country House: A Year at Mapperton has already gone to a second print run. It hasn’t even published yet. I don’t have the words.

Second—and I genuinely cannot say much, it’s a SECRET, but I can’t not tell you—I have just signed for a second book! Ahhhhh!

That’s it. That’s all I’m allowed to say. But I needed you to know, because none of it— not the second print run, not the second book deal—happens without the momentum you have created around this first one. Pre-orders matter. You have just proven exactly how much.

So if you haven’t pre-ordered yet, now is genuinely the moment. Not just for me— though it does mean everything—but because pre-orders are what tell publishers, booksellers and Amazon that a book deserves attention. Every single one counts, right up to the deadline of 23rd September 2026.

Pre-order from Amazon, Bookshop.org or Barnes & Noble—and when you do, fill in the form at the link below to claim your thank-you gifts:**

✨ Patrons receive an exclusive live Q&A with me, a monthly digital scrapbook of unpublished images, and a Patron-only signed bookplate—plus one more surprise to come.

✨ Not yet a Patron? You’ll receive 3 months of free Mapperton Live! membership, entry into a draw for 1 of 100 spots in a live Q&A with me, a signed downloadable bookplate, and a Christmas card from me and Luke by post in December.

Pre-order and Claim your gifts here

Publication day: 24th September 2026.

A second print run. A second book. A second huge thank you.

You did that. xx Julie

May is in full swing here, and the days are running together in the most wonderful way. There are first lettuces coming out of the kitchen garden, a tapestry hung in the West Room, and I have been dashing about the UK…I even did a small dash to Italy in the middle of it all. I’m so glad to pull up a chair and share it with you.

In this newsletter, I’ll be sharing:

• A second print run for the book, and a leap up the Amazon charts

• Speaking in Surrey on all things Mapperton

• Crafted: a panel on keeping the great house alive

• The kitchen garden begins to give

• The West Room and what’s coming next

• On the cover of Dorset Magazine

• A few stolen days in Italy

Let’s dive in!

A second print run and a real leap up the charts

I have the most wonderful news to share: Secrets of an English Country House: A Year at Mapperton has gone into a SECOND print run, and we haven’t even reached publication day yet! I genuinely cannot quite believe it.

I sent an email out yesterday with a small nudge to pre-order, and overnight the book leapt from around 22,000 on Amazon to roughly 6,000. It is a reminder of how much each of you actually moves the needle when you click that button.

If you’ve been meaning to pre-order, this is the moment!

And if you have already: thank you, truly. Every single copy helps.

Order your copy

Speaking in Surrey

Earlier in the week I was the guest speaker at the AWSurrey International Women’s Group in Surrey, where I spoke about all things Mapperton, Alberta, and the American Countess…and how we are preserving Mapperton through innovative new channels like our YouTube series.

I always begin with a little history of the Montagu family, with a special place for the first and the fourth Earls, before moving into how the house and its stories are being kept alive today.

A lovely, lively room! I enjoyed every minute!

Crafted: keeping the great house alive

I had such a good time on a panel at Crafted alongside Malcolm and two wonderful fellow panellists—Pratyush Sarup, Director at House & Garden UK, and Dan Jackson, Head of Historic Buildings at Historic Royal Palaces.

We talked about how to keep the great house alive—particularly the innovative ways we are using content, from YouTube to Substack to social, to bring these places (and the people who shaped them) back into the conversation.

Malcolm, of course, has had such a hand in the recent rearrangement and redecoration of so many of our rooms at Mapperton, so it was a real treat to be on a panel with him.

The kitchen garden begins to give

There is something deeply satisfying about the first harvest of the year. We have just begun pulling lovely things out of the kitchen garden—mizuna, purple frills, speckled oak leaf lettuce, and the first radishes of the season.

Christine is using all of it in the salads at the Coach House Cafe, which means if you come down to visit, what’s on your plate has been growing here only days before. It’s the kind of detail that tells you the season has properly started.

The West Room…what’s coming next?!

The Peacock Tapestry is now hung in the West Room. I haven’t yet opened the doors to the public, because the other Heritage rooms it sits alongside are still in the middle of being redecorated and have only just come back into our hands. I’d rather wait and let you see the whole thing at once!

I’ll also be moving all of my textiles in there, and over the next couple of weeks I will be telling you about a huge collaboration project that will help us raise funds for the proper redecoration of the West Room. It is genuinely one of the most exciting things I’ve put together at Mapperton.

I’m bringing on a wonderful collaborator, Rory Hutton, who has worked with the King…and Malcolm will of course be involved as well. More very soon!

A Couple Spots Left!

Speaking of…

For those of you who have been waiting: there are still a couple of spots left at our next Textiles & Tapestries Retreat, running 1–4 September!

This time, guests will be stitching from a motif taken from Alberta’s House of Worth gown. It’s the same gown now on display in the library, alongside our Alberta exhibition.

It is a properly special detail, and one I am thrilled we can offer.

If you’ve been thinking about it, this is the moment. The last seats tend to go quickly.

Snag a spot!

The Countess of Sandwich Society is growing!

I’m a little overwhelmed by this one: the Countess of Sandwich Society has nearly 2,000 members! And almost 500 of those members are active, meaning they’re joined at a paid tier and get all of the perks!

It is incredible to see how many of you have pulled up a chair.

And let me tell you…something incredible is in the works that I can’t announce just yet. But if you’re been thinking about joining, this might be JUST the right time!

Join the Society

On the cover of Dorset Magazine!

I had the loveliest surprise last week: I’m going to be on the cover of Dorset Magazine!

We did a big photo shoot for it, and you’ll see me in some of my most-loved pieces—my gold charity-shop find, my staple red boiler suit, and yes, the frilly cap I’ve been wearing since lockdown, when I started swimming in the 18th-century pool.

The issue will be out at the end of the summer. I cannot wait for you to see it.

A few stolen days in Italy

Straight after the Textiles & Tapestries Retreat, I jumped on a plane and disappeared to my little house in Italy for a few much-needed days. Bliss.

Of course, I filmed all of it for you. I visited a couple of brilliant flea markets and did a collaboration with two other YouTubers (whose channels many of you watch, I think). The episode is coming to Julie in Italy soon.

Subscribe to Julie in Italy

Thank you, as ever, for being here. Every pre-order, every Countess of Sandwich Society sign-up, every kind note about the YouTube channel…they keep this all moving. I feel very lucky to be sharing it with you.

With love and gratitude,

Julie

My publisher just told me that because the preorders for Secrets of an English Country House are so strong, we are getting a second print run in the United States!

I cried a little. I’m not going to pretend I didn’t.

Here’s the thing they also told me — and I want you to really hear this — preorders can make or break a book. They are how publishers decide whether a book has a life beyond its launch day. Every single preorder tells them: this matters, print more, get it into more shops, put it in front of more people.

So if you’ve been thinking about it, now is the moment. Please.

What is the book?

Secrets of an English Country House: A Year at Mapperton is the most personal thing I’ve ever written. It follows a full year at Mapperton — the seasons, the 900-year history, the extraordinary archive discoveries, and the very real, occasionally chaotic reality of keeping a 500-year-old estate alive. The reservoir that emptied itself the day before a wedding. The son who freed a thousand pheasants across the valley. The Regency sketchbook found untouched in a 200-year-old writing table. The countess who met Napoleon in exile and wrote home about it.

It’s all in there.

Preorder before 23 September 2026 and you’ll receive:

If you’re a current Mapperton Live! Patron: — A place on an exclusive live Patron Q&A with me — A monthly digital scrapbook of unpublished images from the book — A Patron-only downloadable signed bookplate — One more surprise to come!

If you’re not yet a Patron: — 3 months free Mapperton Live! membership at Hogarth level (starting launch day, 24 September) — Entry to win 1 of 100 places in a live Non-Patron Q&A with me — A downloadable signed bookplate — A Christmas card from Luke and me, by post in December.

Preorder from Barnes & Noble, Books.org, Amazon US or Amazon UK — then complete the form at the link below to claim your gifts.

PREORDER & CLAIM YOUR GIFTS →

Thank you. Genuinely. This community is the reason that second print run is happening.

With so much love from Mapperton,

xx Julie

May has arrived, and what a few weeks it has been! There has been filming in Scotland, a House of Worth gown to collect from Hampton Court Palace, our very first textiles retreat at Mapperton, a state visit, a talk in Blandford Forum, and—somewhere in the middle of it all—a book finally going to print. I’m so glad to sit down and bring you up to speed.

In this newsletter, I’ll be sharing:

· Filming at Dumfries House for The King’s Foundation

· Alberta’s House of Worth gown at Hampton Court Palace

· Our inaugural Textiles & Tapestries Retreat at Mapperton

· The latest Substack: a cookbook in a Dorset attic

· The West Room: our most ambitious restoration yet

· The Countess of Sandwich Society

· Speaking at the Corn Exchange, Blandford Forum

· King Charles’s state visit (and a few television moments)

· The book!

Let’s dive in!

Filming at Dumfries House

I took the train up to Scotland with Victoria, our series producer. The night before our shoot, we sat down with Stephen and Claire—our camera crew—to walk through the next day: call sheets, risk assessments, every beat we wanted to hit.

For anyone who hasn’t followed the story, Dumfries House is the great Adam-designed Palladian house in Ayrshire that the King famously stepped in to save in 2007, leading the consortium that bought the house and its irreplaceable Chippendale furniture before the contents were sold off and scattered. It is now home to The King’s Foundation, and the work being done there is genuinely remarkable.

We filmed the interiors, of course, but also some of the wonderful courses they run—textiles, farming, hospitality—and the whole estate was buzzing because the King himself was due to arrive the following week.

You could feel everyone gearing up for it!

If you’re a member of the Countess of Sandwich Society, then you’ve already seen a lot of behind the scenes about this!

If you’re not a member yet, it’s time to join and catch up!

Join the Society

The House of Worth gown at Hampton Court Palace

The moment we landed back in London, I went straight down to Mapperton for a single day, then turned around and headed up to Hampton Court Palace to collect Alberta’s House of Worth dress. The Royal School of Needlework, based at Hampton Court, has been doing the most exquisite restoration and conservation work on it.

If you’ve followed Alberta’s story, you’ll know how much this gown means…and seeing it back in person, treated by some of the best textile conservators in the world, was beyond moving.

We filmed it! And I cannot wait for you to see the episode.

The Royal School of Needlework is, simply, outstanding.

Our inaugural Textiles & Tapestries Retreat

We have just wrapped our very first Textiles & Tapestries Retreat at Mapperton, and it could not have gone better. Twelve wonderful women joined us, totally sold out, and the weather was, against all odds, sensational throughout.

The big moment was the unveiling of the peacock tapestry. Emma Telford—the UK’s leading tapestry conservator—brought it down herself, and we placed it back into the West Room, where I think it will stay. Emma and I did a Q&A together when it was revealed, which was such a treat.

Over two days, Deborah Wilding from the Royal School of Needlework led the group in stitching a motif drawn from one of our 18th-century dresses, working in the coach house. We had breakfast in the dining room, a welcome dinner with Chef Joe, an evening at the local pub, and then a three-course farewell dinner that was, honestly, sensational. I taught yoga in the morning, the gardens were in full bloom, and we sent everyone home a little reluctantly.

A handful of places remain for our September retreat, where guests will stitch a motif drawn from Alberta’s House of Worth gown now on display in the house.

Join the Retreat

A new Substack: a cookbook in a Dorset attic

My latest Gilded Heiresses piece is up on Substack, and it’s one I’m rather proud of. It’s the story of a typed, clipped, very practical cookbook that sat in the Mapperton attic for nearly a century—and the American heiress turned Countess who once owned it.

It’s also a small sneak peek at one of the moments from the book.

Read it now

The West Room: our most ambitious restoration yet

Last week, I met with Malcolm in London to start putting the pieces together for the most ambitious heritage restoration we have ever undertaken at Mapperton: a complete redo of the West Room.

I’ve spent so many hours in that room with the textiles that it makes sense it would be the one. We’re talking hand-painted wallpaper, new damask linings, fresh silk on the duchesse brisée, and a colour palette I’m still falling in love with. I’ve also brought in another extraordinary collaborator (more on her very soon).

Things will start moving fast. By the end of May, I’ll be sharing exactly how this is going to come together—and a really clever way for you to be part of it. It is beyond exciting.

The Countess of Sandwich Society: pull up a chair

I built the Countess of Sandwich Society so that no matter where you are in the world, you have a seat at the table. It is completely free to join, and—I have to say—it is taking off in a way I didn’t quite see coming.

The latest post about it has just passed 300,000 views.

If you haven’t yet, come on in. The conversation is wonderful, and there is a lot in the diary for the months ahead.

Join the Society

Speaking at the Corn Exchange, Blandford Forum

I had the joy of speaking to a hundred people at the Corn Exchange in Blandford Forum—a beautiful 18th-century building designed by the Bastard brothers, the same brothers who built our staircase hall at Mapperton. (I do love a Dorset coincidence.)

We talked about Mapperton, the many restoration projects underway, and the YouTube channel. A lovely evening from start to finish.

King Charles’s state visit (and a few television moments)

The big news in late April was, of course, King Charles’s state visit to the United States. I was up bright and early on Monday the 27th to film with Sky News, and then later did a longer podcast with Krishnan Guru-Murthy on Channel 4’s Fourcast.

We covered the state visit itself and the wider story of the British monarchy in America.

The book (it’s time to preorder!)

I had twenty minutes to spare on the deadline, but Secrets of an English Country House: A Year at Mapperton is officially at the printers. It is already a bestseller, and I am over the moon.

Here’s where I’m asking for your help: I’m trying to reach 3,000 pre-orders before publication day on 24th September.

Pre-orders genuinely make an enormous difference to how a book is stocked and noticed, so if you’ve been thinking about it, this is the moment.

You also receive a beautiful set of pre-order gifts—a Patron-only Q&A, a digital scrapbook, a signed bookplate, and more—when you complete the claim form.

The following link will take you to all the info you need, including how to order via independent bookstores and Amazon…so that you have a choice!

Preorder Now!

Thank you—truly—for being here. There is so much in motion right now, and knowing some of you will be reading the book, joining the Countess of Sandwich Society, and turning up to the next retreat is what makes any of it worth doing.

With love and gratitude,

Julie

I have a proper piece of news for you this week, and one I’ve been dying to share. I’ve written a book! And pre-order is open now!

It’s called Secrets of an English Country House: A Year at Mapperton, and I still can’t quite believe it’s a real, finished thing. I’ll stop saying that eventually.

In this newsletter, I’ll be sharing:

• The book

• The two chapters on Alberta

• Pre-order gifts — yes, you get gifts!

• Publication day: 24th September 2026

Let’s dive in!

The book

The basics:

Secrets of an English Country House: A Year at Mapperton. Published by Quarto. Out on 24th September 2026.

It’s a full year at Mapperton—the house, the family, the collections, the garden, the archive, all of it—and the photographs are absolutely breathtaking. It is by far the biggest project I’ve ever finished, and I am so so pleased with how it’s turned out.

The button below will automatically send you to US retailers if you’re in the States, and UK retailers if you’re in the UK.

Preorder Now!

The two chapters on Alberta

If you’ve been around for a while, then you already know all about Alberta; she’s the American heiress who became the 9th Countess of Sandwich, and she’s been a huge part of my research for years.

She has two full chapters in the book.

The first is about the research itself: the archive, our wonderful volunteer team, and the Alberta AI Luke built from her own letters.

The second is about the things she left behind: her journals, her clothes, a small devotional book of pressed flowers and prayers, and a House of Worth gown that turned up in a place absolutely no one expected.

Those two chapters are, hands down, the parts of the book I’m most proud of.

Pre-order gifts (yes, you get gifts!)

I wanted pre-ordering to actually mean something for you. So here is what’s on offer if you order before 23rd September 2026 and then fill in the claim form.

If you’re already a Mapperton Live Patron:

• A live online Patron-only Q&A with me after publication

Each month from May to publication at the end of September, you’ll get a monthly digital gift, including:

• A digital scrapbook full of images that didn’t make the book

• A special signed, downloadable bookplate just for Patrons

• And more surprises that we’re still whipping up

If you’re not yet a Patron:

• Three free months of Mapperton Live at Hogarth level (level 3), starting on publication day

• A place in the draw for one of 100 spots in a live online Q&A with me

• A signed downloadable bookplate the minute you complete the form

• A Christmas card from Luke and me, posted to you in December

Preorder Now

Publication day: 24th September 2026

Save the date! I’ll be talking about the book quite a lot between now and then…I’m just so excited! But I wanted you to hear about it from me right away.

If you’ve been wanting to pick up a Mapperton book, this is the one. And if you know someone who would love it, please do forward this on.

Preorder Now

I really do mean this: thank you for being here, for reading, for showing up to the talks and the videos and everything in between. Knowing some of you will be reading this book is a huge part of why I kept writing it.

With love and gratitude,

Julie

What a few weeks it has been! Between finishing a book, graduating, escaping to Italy, and gathering the whole family around the Easter table, life has felt wonderfully full. There is so much to share with you, and I’m delighted to sit down and catch you up on everything.

In this newsletter, I’ll be sharing:

· A huge book announcement is coming…mark your calendars!

· Graduating with my Master’s in Country House Studies

· A trip to Italy with Malcolm for house planning and antique shopping

· New Substack essays on Gilded Age heiresses

· Easter at Mapperton with all four children

· Training for the Amsterdam marathon with Emma and Jack

Let’s dive in!

Mark your calendars: April 19

Last week, I had my final meeting at the publisher for the Mapperton illustrated book, and I can hardly contain my excitement. Malcolm, the stylist for the book, and I spent a good few hours there going through everything, and I’m now deep in the work of writing captions for all 300 photographs.

It’s been quite the slog, I won’t lie, but the book is looking so wonderful that every caption feels worth it.

I can’t say more just yet, but please mark your calendars: Sunday, April 19.

A huge announcement about the book is coming, and I cannot wait to share it with you.

A Master’s with Distinction

I am so thrilled to share that I have officially graduated with my Master’s in Country House Studies…and with Distinction!

It was one of those days that felt almost surreal: wearing the robe and the hat, hearing my name announced, and then seeing it written down with the little cross that denotes Distinction. I may have got a tiny bit emotional.

This degree has shaped so much of how I think about heritage, preservation, and the stories houses hold. If you’d like to see the moment, it’s all in a recent Mapperton Live video: “How Did This Happen? How Mapperton Changed My Life.”

Julie (and Malcolm!) in Italy

Malcolm and I also made a trip to Italy, which was equal parts productive and delicious. Malcolm, who helped design the entire house, came along as we tackled some big decisions: choosing the external paint colour for my Little Italian House (yes, it’s time for a repaint!), selecting proper terracotta tiles for the sitting room, and doing a bit of antique shopping along the way.

And of course, we ate extremely well: pizza, pasta, and some very good rosé.

You can watch it all unfold on the Julie in Italy channel, which has just gone live.

Busy writing on Substack

I’ve been particularly prolific on Substack lately. My newest essay, “The Night a 12-Year-Old American Heiress Watched Joan of Arc,” draws on Alberta’s extraordinary unpublished diaries kept from 1887 to at least 1900.

This is the first in a series exploring her remarkable record of a life lived at the very edge of history, and I think you are going to love following along.

I also published a wonderful piece on Edith Wharton, which has been doing really well.

If you haven’t read them yet, it’s well worth your time: two fascinating women, two very different windows into the Gilded Age.

Read about Alberta

Easter at Mapperton

Here in the UK, we’ve had Good Friday and Easter Monday off, which meant a proper long weekend. All four children were down at Mapperton, and we had a wonderful meal together in the dining room, which was made all the more entertaining by the fact that the Easter trail was in full swing just outside. There’s something rather lovely about a family lunch with the sound of children hunting for golden eggs in the background.

Training update

On a more personal note, I’ve been getting some good runs in with Emma. As you may remember, Emma, Jack, and I are training for the Amsterdam marathon in October, so the miles are starting to build. It’s wonderful to have a training partner, and even better when that partner is your daughter.

As always, thank you for reading and for being part of this journey. There is so much coming in the weeks ahead—the book announcement, new Substack series, and plenty more besides—and I’m so grateful to have you along for the ride.

With love and gratitude,
Julie

I am writing this from the United States after one of the most extraordinary heritage trips Luke and I have ever taken. We were invited to speak at the inaugural Living History Natchez festival in Mississippi, and the entire experience reminded us just how powerful the love of historic houses can be.

It was a week full of restoration stories, passionate preservationists, historic homes, music, and Southern hospitality.

In this newsletter you will find:

• Our sunny stop in Fairhope, Alabama
• Arriving in Natchez and the historic house where we stayed
• A wonderful patron evening at Holly Hedges
• Our presentation on preserving Mapperton
• A standing ovation and the key to the city of Natchez
• Touring remarkable historic houses on the Natchez tour
• A magical recreation of the Jenny Lind concert of 1851
• A final visit to an inspiring restoration project

Let’s begin at the beginning…

Fairhope, Alabama: a perfect beginning

We flew from London to New Orleans and picked up a convertible Mustang, which felt like the only proper way to begin a road trip across the American South. (Luke always goes for a Mustang!)

Our first stop was Fairhope, Alabama. This was a place we had been wanting to visit ever since speaking in Alabama last year at the Wilcox Historical Society. Everyone we met there told us the same thing: y’ou must go to Fairhope!’

They were absolutely right.

Fairhope sits right on Mobile Bay and the moment we arrived we were greeted with sunshine, warm weather, and incredibly kind people. It was exactly the kind of place that invites you to slow down and enjoy being outside!

We walked along the waterfront, I did a 10K run to help fight the jet lag, and we enjoyed some wonderful farm-to-table meals. One highlight neither of us will forget was a strawberry shortcake baked Alaska that was flambéed right at the table. We had never seen anything like it!

Between runs, gym sessions, and a bit of writing time, it was the perfect way to ease into the trip before the real reason we had come to the United States.

Arriving in Natchez

From Fairhope we drove west to Natchez, Mississippi for Living History Natchez.

This was the inaugural year of the festival, organised by Laine and Kevin from the hit YouTube channel and Instagram account ‘@ourrestorationnation’ , and when they first contacted us several months ago we said YES immediately! Their passion for historic preservation aligns perfectly with what we believe in at Mapperton.

The founders of Living History Natchez kindly put us up in a beautiful historic house, Edelweiss, overlooking the Mississippi River. The house was built in the 1890s during the Gilded Age, which felt rather fitting considering how much of the architecture in Natchez dates to that same period.

Natchez is truly a town where history lives in the buildings. Walking through its streets you immediately feel that sense of continuity.

The Patron evening at Holly Hedges

The week began with a wonderful Patron party hosted by Tammy and Wes at their gorgeous historic house called Holly Hedges.

Nearly 50 patrons attended! And they were all passionate about historic houses and preservation. It was such a warm and welcoming evening. Guests arrived with glasses of fizz, and there was white wine, beer, soft drinks, and of course plenty of sweet tea.

The food was outstanding! Suzie and her team prepared a beautiful spread of canapés and Southern dishes, and the atmosphere felt relaxed and joyful.

This is the menu she put together:

• Zesty, Lemon Marinated Gulf Shrimp

• Mushroom Filo Tartlets

• Suzie’s Classic Deviled Eggs: savory, creamy filling 1/2 of the topped with green olive and 1/2 with capers

• Endive Cup with Bleu Cheese Mousse, Toasted Pecan, and 1/2 Grape

• Crisp Genoa Salami Cup with Brie Cheese, Chives, and Suzie’s Flowering Fig Jam

It was the perfect beginning to the week and gave us the chance to meet so many people who care deeply about historic houses.

Our presentation: Preserving England’s Finest Manor House, Mapperton

The next evening, Luke and I gave our presentation at the Natchez Convention Center.

More than 200 people attended (it was sold out!), which was incredibly humbling!

Our talk was called “Preserving England’s Finest Manor House,” and we shared the story of Mapperton across the centuries. We talked about the 1st Earl of Sandwich, the 4th Earl, and (of course) Alberta Sturges, whose life connects American and British history in such a fascinating way.

We also spoke about how we began documenting our restoration work during Covid through our YouTube channel Mapperton Live! and how that storytelling has helped build a global community of people who care about heritage.

During the presentation we discussed several of the projects currently underway at the estate:

• The conservation of the 18th century peacock tapestries
• The restoration of Alberta’s House of Worth dress
• The preservation of the 18th century Japanese ‘Tale of Genji’ screens
• The Mapperton Wildlands nature recovery project
• The care of the family’s coronation robes

The talk lasted about an hour. When we finished the audience stood up for a standing ovation, which was incredibly moving!

And of course there was the unexpected honour. The Mayor of Natchez presented Luke and me with the key to the city!

It was a moment we will never forget.

Meeting heritage lovers from across America

After the talk we held a meet-and-greet session, which had completely sold out.

More than 100 people attended, and it was such fun getting to meet everyone. People had travelled from all over the United States to attend Living History Natchez!

We were told that visitors from 44 different states were represented during the week, which shows just how much enthusiasm there is for heritage and historic houses.

Touring Natchez’s historic houses

One of the central events of Living History Natchez is the tour of homes.

More than a dozen historic houses were open to the public across two weekends. We were not able to visit them all, but we managed to tour 5 during our time there.

Two particularly memorable houses were Wigwam and Propinquity. The restoration work happening inside these homes is extraordinary.

The homeowners are doing meticulous work to preserve the structure of the buildings and the stories that live inside them. You could see how much care and dedication goes into maintaining these historic properties!

Even the houses we did not manage to visit had long queues of people waiting outside to tour them.

The Jenny Lind concert

One of the most magical moments of the week was the recreation of a historic concert by Jenny Lind.

Jenny Lind was the famous Swedish opera singer often called the “Swedish Nightingale.” She performed in Natchez in March 1851 during her famous American tour.

This year marked the 175th anniversary of that visit, and the festival recreated the concert.

Earlier that day, we had visited Propinquity where the owners showed us something remarkable. They had preserved the original programme from the 1851 Jenny Lind concert!

Seeing that programme and then attending the recreated concert later that evening felt like stepping back into history.

Afterwards we rode in a horse drawn carriage through the streets of Natchez to an after drinks gathering where guests enjoyed canapés, macarons, and another glass of fizz. It was beautifully organised and such a special way to end the evening.

A television interview on historic houses

While we were in the region, I was also invited to appear on a morning television programme, Great Day Louisiana, to talk about the Gilded Age and historic houses!

One of the fascinating things about New Orleans is how many historic buildings have survived. Unlike New York, which demolished many of its Gilded Age mansions during waves of redevelopment, New Orleans preserved much of its architectural heritage.

That slower pace of development meant that today you can still see entire neighbourhoods filled with historic buildings.

A remarkable restoration at Hope Farm

Before leaving Natchez, we visited one more extraordinary project.

Laine and Kevin, the co-founders of Living History Natchez, are restoring a historic house called Hope Farm. The property suffered a devastating fire in 2023.

Rather than walk away, they began rebuilding it using reclaimed wood and traditional materials. The project is ambitious and SO inspiring.

Eventually the house will become a bed and breakfast, welcoming visitors into a restored historic home.

Seeing the work underway was a powerful reminder that preservation often requires resilience as much as passion.

Why Natchez matters

One of the things that struck us most during the week was the enthusiasm of the visitors.

At several houses we saw long lines of people waiting to tour. Clearly Living History Natchez has tapped into something meaningful!

Historic houses tell stories about architecture, families, and communities, and events like this bring those stories back to life.

If you love heritage and restoration, I cannot recommend Natchez strongly enough. It is truly one of the most fascinating historic towns in America.

Follow the story

If you would like to follow the projects behind this new festival, you can find them here:

• Living History Natchez on Instagram
• Our Restoration Nation on Instagram
• And of course on Mapperton Live! and American Countess YouTube channels...because you KNOW that we filmed it all!

Thank you, as always, for being part of this community and for supporting the preservation of historic places.

Xx Julie

Did you catch the major announcement via the American Countess YouTube channel this weekend?

I have officially launched my most ambitious project to date:

I’ve been working on this behind the scenes for months, and I’m beyond excited that it’s officially here!

Ever since launching the American Countess channel and diving into research on Britain’s stately homes, Gilded Age history, and conservation at Mapperton, the projects and the platforms I’m building have grown.

So I wanted one place to house it all and to celebrate the support of the Patrons (now Society Members!) who have made it all happen.

The Countess of Sandwich Society website currently holds a digital archive of the high-quality films we’ve produced, which feature incredible country houses as they are right now: the families that live in them; the collections they keep; the history they represent.

Members are the beating heart of the Society. Their contributions via the Patreon platform go completely to production. They are truly helping to preserve history for future generations.

So, the them, I send my biggest heartfelt thank you! I’m SO grateful.

And if you’re not a Member yet, now is the time join. You’ll get a beautiful Member certificate and a place on the Member wall on the website. Inside of the Member platform, you’ll have access to behind-the-scenes videos and info, extra content, and invites to Member events. And, when we launch the conversation prize, YOU will get the deciding votes.

You’ll also know that you’re part of preserving history that is slowly starting to fade.

I would absolutely love you to join.

Here’s to a new chapter!

Join the Countess of Sandwich Society

Xx Julie

The past few weeks have felt SO full. It’s the kind of stretch where history, travel, filming, and family life all seem to braid together at once. From Paris to Claydon House and my birthday (!!) to the final push on the Mapperton book, there has been a great deal quietly unfolding behind the scenes.

In this newsletter, you’ll find:

• Filming at Claydon House for the American Countess channel
• Walking in Alberta’s footsteps in Paris and Versailles
• A Fire Horse birthday celebration with all four children
• Behind the scenes of the Mapperton illustrated book shoot
• Our upcoming Natchez visit and ticket reminder
• A very special launch arriving 7 March

Let’s dive in!

My talk at the Victoria and Albert Museum

As I’m writing this, I JUST finished giving a talk on Alberta at the Victoria and Albert Museum. This felt like the big leagues, and I was SO nervous!

I spent weeks putting this talk together, which focused on Alberta’s views of marriage in a time when almost all Dollar Princesses were entering into transactional romances.

I covered Alberta’s letters, of course! And I read a lot of her quotes from the time when she was considering whether or not she’d marry George.

Thanks SO much to everyone who came to support me. I’m still buzzing from it, and I hope to do more talks like this in the future!

Filming at Claydon House

One of last week’s true milestones was filming: we went to our very first National Trust property! We’ve been trying to go to National Trust houses for years…it was incredible and Claydon House is EXTRAORDINARY.

Filming there was one of those days that reminds me why I love this work so much. The setting, the stories, the atmosphere: all of it came together beautifully. We filmed a very special piece for the American Countess YouTube channel, and I cannot wait to share what is coming.

Do make sure you are subscribed, because something rather exciting will be launching on 7 March, and you will not want to miss it.

Subscribe to American Countess

In Alberta’s footsteps through Paris and Versailles

From Italy to Paris and back again…and what a meaningful journey it was!

While in Paris, I retraced Alberta’s steps using her January 1890 diary entry, written when she was just twelve years old. Walking where she walked, and reading her words on site, always brings history into startling focus.

Versailles was, as ever, extraordinary. Visiting the Petit Trianon and Marie Antoinette’s hamlet through Alberta’s eyes was one of those moments where past and present seem to briefly overlap.

It is precisely why this work continues to feel so alive. I wrote about it on my Substack, so be sure that you subscribe over there, because more Alberta travel is coming!

Gilded Heiresses Substack

A Fire Horse birthday

This year I properly celebrated my birthday on 17 February, which was also the beginning of the Year of the Fire Horse!

We marked the occasion with a Chinese family dinner of course, and for the first time in a while all four children were around the table together, which felt rather special.

There is something about these full-table moments that becomes more meaningful every year.

A very joyful way to begin the Fire Horse year.

Behind the scenes of the Mapperton book

We’ve just completed the final major photography day for the forthcoming Mapperton illustrated book…nearly thirteen months after our very first shoot day!

Principal photographer Jessica and stylist Malcolm were both here, and we focused on capturing the final interiors, portraits, and winter light moments needed for the book.

It was one of those long, slightly exhausting, but deeply satisfying days. The book will contain around 300 photographs, and we are currently on track to announce it officially in April.

More soon, but it is starting to feel very real.

Current wellbeing favourites

As many of you know, I always try to weave in small practices that help keep energy steady through very full seasons.

Right now my newest enthusiasm is the sauna followed by cold immersion. And I have to say, I am completely converted. I am also very excited about my new Garmin, which is now faithfully tracking spinning, yoga, and running.

Small rhythms, but they make a remarkable difference.

Natchez, we are nearly on our way!

A quick reminder that Luke and I will be in Natchez, Mississippi beginning 11 March (with the Patron gathering on 10 March).

We cannot wait to see so many of you there. Our meet and greet is now sold out, but there are still some tickets remaining for our main presentation on Wednesday evening, along with a full week of wonderful events across the town.

Book tickets

P.S. If you’re planning to come to the Patron Party on the 10th and haven’t received an email with information about it, please email Shelly: shelly@mapperton.com. (We switched email servers and fear that we may have missed some confirmations during the down time!)

As ever, thank you for following along on this slightly mad and always fascinating journey through history, houses, and the occasional airport dash.

Very much looking forward to sharing what comes next.

With love,
Julie xx

It feels as though this talk has crept up on me…and now it is almost here.

I’ve been at my computer for DAYS perfecting ever part of it, and I’d LOVE for you to watch it (in person or online).

On 2 March at 7pm UK time (2pm in New York), I’ll be at the Victoria and Albert Museum speaking all about Alberta and the story that continues to unfold through her letters and diaries.

Every time I return to her papers, I find something new…and this lecture includes discoveries I have not shared publicly before.

If you would like to join me, there are two options:

In-person tickets: You can buy them here.

Virtual Tickets: You can buy them here.

I would absolutely love to know if you are coming! Do let me know below so that I can watch for your name on the list.

It has been such a joy preparing this talk, and I cannot wait to share these newly transcribed moments from Alberta’s own words with you.

With love,
Julie ✨

The last couple of weeks have been the kind of busy that happens mostly behind the scenes: research, conversations, planning, and moments that don’t always shout for attention, but always shape what’s coming next. Even so, there are some lovely things to share with you.

In this newsletter, I’ll be sharing:

• The release of our Drumlanrig Castle episode

• The first “At the Archive Table” session

• Recent Substack essays and voice notes

• Tickets are now available for my upcoming V&A talk (in-person & virtual)

• An exclusive guided visit to Buckingham Palace

• Returning to training and preparing for a February half marathon

Let’s dive in!

Drumlanrig is live!

I’m so pleased that episode one at Drumlanrig Castle is now live.

Filming with Duke Richard and Lord Walter was a real highlight! Not only is the scale and beauty of the house and estate incredible, but the warmth and generosity we were shown throughout our time there blew us away. Drumlanrig feels like a place that is both monumental and lived-in, and I hope that comes across in the episode.

If you haven’t watched yet, I’d love for you to take a moment to do so. It’s one of those houses that lingers with you (and the comments are all 5-stars!).

At the archive table

On Sunday, 1 February, I hosted my first “At the Archive Table” session on my Gilded Heiresses substack, and it couldn’t have gone better.

We talked about practical, approachable ways to begin organising a family archive, whether that’s papers passed down from grandparents, documents from your own life, or something you’re consciously building for your children.

There was a wonderful mix of practical questions and thoughtful reflections, and it confirmed for me just how hungry people are for guidance around preserving their own histories.

This is something I’ll be continuing, and I’m very glad to have opened the conversation. So tune in next month!

Watch Now

Life on Substack

Substack has been particularly lively lately. Alongside new essays, I’ve been sharing voice notes, including one recorded ahead of a rather special visit this week.

(Hint: the King lives there…sometimes!)

If you enjoy the quieter, more reflective side of the work—archives, fashion history, research notes, and personal observations—you’ll find plenty to explore there.

I have MANY new projects in the works over there that will bring you straight into the lives of gilded heiresses. And, from February on, subscribers there will get the new Gilded Heiress videos before they drop on YouTube.

Subscribe now

A visit to Buckingham Palace

Last week, I visited Buckingham Palace for an exclusive guided tour of the East Wing. It’s an area few people ever get to see in depth, and it was everything I could have hoped for and more!

As photography was prohibited, I’ve left a voice note on Substack describing the interiors and why this visit felt particularly meaningful at this point in my work.

Listen here:

Gilded Heiresses

A Guided Walk Through the East Wing of Buckingham Palace (by ear, not by lens)

Earlier today, I stepped inside the East Wing of Buckingham Palace on a guided tour — and the moment I came back out into the daylight, I did something rather different…

Listen now

5 months ago · 34 likes · 5 comments · Julie Montagu

My Upcoming Talk at the V&A

I’m so looking forward to my upcoming talk at the V&A, An American Heiress in the Age of Elegance. This lecture grows out of my Master’s research into Luke’s great-grandmother, Alberta — an extraordinary American heiress who became the 9th Countess of Sandwich. I’ll be sharing her remarkable story, her world, her collection, and the recently rediscovered House of Worth dress she owned. I can’t wait to welcome many of you in person and online. Full details and tickets are in the links below.

Book Virtual Tickets

Book In-Person Tickets

Training again

On a more personal note, I’m properly back into training again. Alongside running, I’ve returned to strength training, spinning, and my rather intense handstand-and-back-bending yoga classes.

My plan is to run a half marathon at the end of February, as part of building back toward longer distances and of course before the Amsterdam marathon with Emma and Jack.

As always, thank you for reading and for being here. Even when things feel quieter on the surface, there’s a lot unfolding underneath, and I’m so grateful to be able to share this journey with you.

With love and gratitude,
Julie

We’ve just returned from our annual January pause, which is a tradition that Luke and I have kept for years now! It feels like the right moment to sit down, catch our breath, and write to you properly.

We were away longer than usual this time, travelling with all four children, and returning home with full hearts, tired limbs, and rather a lot of news. Some of it is deeply personal, some very exciting, and some that hints at where American Countess is heading next!

Here’s what I’ll be sharing in this newsletter:

• A rare family trip with all four children
• An unforgettable flight home!
• A new series: At the Archive Desk
• Extraordinary connection to Alberta’s American friends
• A major filming breakthrough (and a patron-only reveal)
• Our return to America!
• Marathon training, spring sowing, and signs of the season turning
• What’s coming next for filming, research, and the Mapperton book

Let’s dive in.

We’ve been in Austria

We’ve just returned from our annual January retreat to one of our favourite places: Jagdhof in Austria. Christmas and the turn of the New Year can be intense in ways that creep up on you, especially when work, travel, and family all collide, so each year we make a conscious decision to pause.

This year felt particularly special because we brought all four children with us! They’d visited when they were younger, but this was the first time they were old enough to really enjoy it ALL: the spa, the snow, the stillness.

Seeing them all bundled up in their ski gear was one of those rare moments that feels like time briefly holds its breath! (They grow quickly, but they’re SO fun as adults!)

Nestor got in to Oxford!!

While we were flying back from Austria, something extraordinary happened.

Our youngest, Nestor, had been waiting to hear back from the University of Oxford after two days of interviews earlier this winter. He knew that Tuesday the 13th was decision day, but we were just about to take off when his phone buzzed.

We weren’t seated together, so he quite literally leapt across the aisle to open the email with us.

He’d been accepted!

What followed still makes me emotional: the entire cabin began to clap. Strangers smiling, cheering, sharing in that moment of joy. It was one of those beautiful reminders of how collective and generous people can be.

We are so proud of him, and deeply grateful for that memory.

At the Archive Desk: a new monthly series

I’m also very excited to share something new that I’ve been quietly working on.

At the beginning of every month, I’ll be publishing a Substack series called At the Archive Desk. It grew directly out of the Alberta Research Project, which I’ve now been leading for over two and a half years, and from the response to my recent newsletter about conserving and caring for personal letters and diaries.

Each month, I’ll be sharing what’s happening behind the scenes in the archive: how we preserve and interpret historic material, what we’re learning, and how these practices can be applied to caring for our own family histories.

You can read the full introduction over on Substack, and I hope it becomes something many of you enjoy returning to.

Read it now

Alberta’s uncanny connection to the Lusitania

My most recent Substack post also explores Dead Wake by Erik Larson and the sinking of the Lusitania…and once again, history revealed one of those moments that stops you in your tracks!

The largest family aboard the Lusitania, who tragically all perished, were close friends of Alberta’s family. Their daughter was named Alberta after her, and she was her godchild.

These moments—when research threads unexpectedly knot together—never stop humbling me.

History is intimate. It is totally relational, and it is often heartbreakingly close.

Read it here

A patron-only reveal

There’s something significant happening on the filming front…though I can’t quite announce it publicly just yet.

Very soon, I’ll be filming at an extraordinary National Trust house. Gaining filming access through the National Trust is no small thing, and we’re hopeful this marks the beginning of a deeper relationship that will open doors to many more historic houses in the future.

Patrons will receive a video message from me this week revealing exactly where we’re going.

If you’re part of the Patreon community, keep an eye out! And if you’ve been considering joining, this is very much part of what your support enables.

Join us on Patreaon

We’re going back to America

I’m delighted to confirm that we are officially coming back to the United States.

We’ll be attending Natchez Living History this spring, and we’d absolutely love to see you there. Patrons (either American Countess or Mapperton) are invited to a Patron-only drinks gathering on the 10th of March, followed by our presentation on the 11th, a meet-and-greet. Be sure to purchase tickets here OR become a Patron!

It promises to be a very special few days of history, conversation, and community.

Will you be there?! Comment below and let me know!

Leave a comment

Running shoes, seeds, and spring beginnings

On a more personal note, I’ve signed up for my next marathon: Amsterdam, on 18 October. (I’m a marathon runner now?!)

It sold out within a week, and we were lucky to secure places. I’ll be running again with Emma and Jack, but this time, the entire family will be there to cheer us on.

Training has officially resumed. I ran 12k yesterday and plan to run a solo half marathon by the end of February.

Meanwhile, spring is quietly stirring in the Kitchen Garden at Mapperton. I’ve ordered over 100 packets of seeds—vegetables, herbs, and cutting flowers—and we’ll begin sowing this week, starting with chillies and red peppers.

The polytunnel frame is already up, with the cover going on next week. I can’t wait for my first full year of gardening!

Looking ahead

For those of you following all the info about the Mapperton book: the title is chosen, the cover is chosen, and now we’re in the fine-detail stage! It’s that careful, meticulous work that brings something lasting into being.

As always, thank you for reading, for supporting, and for caring about these stories as deeply as I do. None of this happens without you.

With love and gratitude,
Julie

It’s been a quieter couple of weeks on the filming front due to the holidays and end-of-year wrap-ups. Christmas itself was a gentle one, spent mostly in London, which is a change for us… and a rather welcome pause.

As we turn toward a new year, I’ve been thinking about what feels most meaningful to share right now. I don’t have a grand announcement, but I’m thinking about something practical, lasting, and quietly powerful.

And it’s something many of you have asked me about over the years.

So for this newsletter, I want to focus on one idea:

Making 2026 the year you begin preserving and transcribing the letters and papers in your care.

Here’s what I’ll be sharing:

• Why personal letters matter more than we realise
• A simple starter kit for preserving family papers
• How to scan and transcribe letters at home
• How we work with Alberta’s letters as an example
• A nudge to begin!

Let’s dive in.

A Quiet Inheritance: The Letters We Keep

So many of you have written to tell me about letters tucked away in drawers, trunks, and boxes. There is a lot of correspondence between grandparents, diaries kept during wartime, notes written in careful handwriting that no one has read in decades.

As a historian (I can officially say that now!) I get so excited about this. These are first-hand historical records. They carry voice, rhythm, opinion, emotion. This is the texture of a life as it was lived!

But they are also fragile. Ink fades. Paper yellows. Context is forgotten. And once that happens, so much meaning is lost.

And let me tell you: you don’t need to be an archivist to begin caring for them!

(A quick note here about archival work, since many people comment on this! The new, science-backed practice for handling historical documents is NOT to wear gloves! The gloves can actually damage documents, especially parchment. It turns out that the natural oils on our hands help to preserve documents!)

Preserving Papers 101: A Starter Kit

This isn’t info for professional archives, so it won’t be too hard to do this or get hold of these tools. I’ve designed this starter kit for families, not institutions.

What to gather first

You don’t need everything at once. Start with (I have links here as well!):

• Acid-free archival boxes or folders (labelled clearly)

• Archival sleeves or envelopes for particularly fragile letters

• Pencils only or archive pens for labelling

• A clean, dry workspace with good light

If you can’t find archival supplies immediately, don’t let that stop you. The most important thing is handling letters gently and keeping them dry, flat, and away from light.

Scanning your Letters (without expensive equipment)

We scan all of Alberta’s letters, but that doesn’t mean you need a professional scanner.

You can use:

• A flatbed scanner

• Or a high-quality phone scanning app (such as CamScanner, which I love)

The key things to remember:

• Photograph or scan letters flat, without bending

• Capture every page, including envelopes

• Save boxfiles with clear names (e.g. “AS/PERS/1”) (translation: Alberta Sturges, Personal, Boxfile 1)

• Save folders under the boxfile (example above) with clear names (e.g. “UK_to_USA_1”)

• Save letters under the corresponding folders with clear names (e.g. 1926Letter08)

• Back them up! Keep your files in different places… trust me

Digital copies protect the originals and make transcription far easier.

Transcribing: Slow, Careful, and Surprisingly Intimate

Transcription is where letters truly come alive.

When we transcribe Alberta’s letters, we do so line by line, preserving:

• Original spelling

• Punctuation (or lack of it)

• Crossed-out words

• Insertions and margins

This isn’t about polishing or changing the text; you can do that later in a different document if you’d like to. What’s important is to faithfully recording what is there.

A basic transcription format includes:

• The writer

• The recipient

• The date (or estimated date)

• The location

• The full text of the letter

Even transcribing one letter can transform how you understand a person.

Here’s an example of how we format that on the page:

Letter from Alberta Sturges Montagu to Jojo [Josephine MacLeod] 21 April 1926, 1/14 pages, transcribed from digital image of handwritten letter, original held in the 2023 Alberta Sturges Research Project, 1926Letter08.docx, Mapperton House, Beaminster, West Dorset, England DT8 3NR: transcribed LM, April 2025.

HINCHINGBROOKE

HUNTINGDON

1. April 21.1926

2. Darling Jojo:

3. Your last letter before the arrival

4. of the Brewsters came yesterday.

5. I can imagine your large party

6. nine days on the Ganges bank.

7. Here the spring persists in

8. spite of east winds and gloom,

9. such a sharing. The daffodils &

10. primroses have gone and we

11. are now having tulips forget me

[Page 1 of 14]

Can AI help? Yes… but Thoughtfully

Used carefully, AI can be a helpful tool for first-pass transcription, especially if handwriting is clear. It can save time and reduce the intimidation of a blank page.

But—and this is important—AI should assist, not replace, human judgement. Always:

• Check every word

• Compare against the original image

• Correct errors and note uncertainties

Think of it as a draft assistant, not an authority. And you should always have the final say as to what is accurate. Remember that AI can make things up!

How We Do This with Alberta’s Letters

This is exactly how the Alberta letters are handled:

• Scanned carefully

• Transcribed in full by the team of amazing volunteers

• Annotated with names, places, and context

• Stored physically and digitally

What began as a family archive has become a research collection simply because someone took the time to begin.

And I want this for you, too!

My Nudge To You for 2026

If you’re looking for a meaningful intention for the year ahead, let this be permission to start small with creating a family archive.

Family history and legacy isn’t just for aristocrats! Imagine the work you do now meaning so much to future generations… and perhaps even research for a dissertation!

You don’t need to finish… it might never be finished. You just need to begin.

What you preserve now may one day help someone understand their history—or themselves—a little more clearly.

With love and gratitude,
Xx Julie

I’m kicking off 2026 with a YouTube livestream TONIGHT!

I hope that you’ll join me starting at 8pm UK time (that’s 3pm in New York and noon in Los Angeles) for a discussion about 2025’s highlights (there were so many!) and BIG changes happening in 2026.

Here’s the link…I hope to see you in a few hours!

Join the livestream

Xx, Julie

I hope you’ve had a restful Christmas and are finding your way gently into these strange, liminal days between years, when time feels a little softer and reflection comes more easily.

I want to let you know that I’ll be going live on YouTube this weekend, and I’d love for you to join me.

American Countess LIVE

Saturday 3 January at 8.00pm

Straight after our YouTube live for Mapperton Live, I’ll be switching over to the American Countess channel for a special end-of-year live session. We’ll be talking about:

• The year just gone:filming, writing, research, and travel

• The stories that resonated most deeply in 2025

• What’s coming next for American Countess

• Your questions, curiosities, and comments

I’ll also be teasing something we’ve been quietly building behind the scenes: a new project rooted in legacy, living history, and community.

It won’t be launching for a few weeks, but this felt like the right moment to begin opening the door.

(Patrons already know about it AND have access to it!)

This livestream is simply a chance to connect—to say thank you, to look back, and to look forward together.

I hope to see you there.

Saturday 3 January at 8.00pm

Set Your Reminder Here

With love and gratitude,
Julie

It’s been a quieter couple of weeks on the filming front as I’ve largely spent my time in meetings, planning sessions, and end-of-year wrap-ups at Mapperton. BUT, creatively, it has been an extraordinary fortnight. Substack has been buzzing, the Gilded Heiresses series is growing faster than ever, and there have been some wonderful moments with historians, podcasters, and (very soon!) the Royal School of Needlework.

Here’s what I’ll be sharing in this newsletter:

• The Vanderbilt Tiara: our most-read Substack yet
• A Substack bestseller Christmas party
• Two podcast episodes with a couple of big names
• Dropping off the Worth dress at Hampton Court Palace
• Seeds, seasons, and planning for the kitchen garden
• A brand-new historic house episode: Kirtlington Park

Let’s dive in.

The Vanderbilt Tiara: my biggest Substack yet

Over on The Gilded Heiresses, I published something rather special: an exclusive interview with a descendant of the Vanderbilt family, centred on the famous Vanderbilt Tiara—an heirloom sparkling with history, myth, and all the audacity of America’s last Dollar Princesses.

It has now been read nearly 6,000 times, and the response has been astonishing!

More than 134 new subscribers joined from that one post alone. It’s clear how deeply people are drawn to these stories of transatlantic ambition and the women whose jewels, trunks, and marriages reshaped high society on both sides of the ocean.

Read all about it!

A Substack Christmas party for bestsellers

Another highlight: I attended the Substack Bestsellers Christmas Party in London!

It was such a joy and a chance to celebrate this growing community of writers and readers. I met some absolutely incredible people, and I’m more excited than ever about the future of Substack.

And just a reminder: if you join the American Countess Patreon at Alberta or above, you will get a completely free subscription to my Substack.

Patreon is where you’ll get early access to American Countess episodes and behind-the-scenes videos and blogs about filming, etc.

(And the American Countess Patreon is changing a bit in the new year with more of a focus on conservation and restoration of Britain’s country houses and their incredible history. The current Patrons have already had a sneak peek at it!)

Substack is where I share my research to do with the Gilded Heiresses, including letters and diary entries by Alberta.

To part of both, join Patreon on one of the top 3 tiers. Or, to just read about all of the Gilded Heiress research, subscribe to my Substack!

Join Patreon

Join Substack

On air: discussing Gilded Age alliances and an enduring Anglo-American friendship

I was also invited onto the podcast Kings & Queens & Dastardly Things, hosted by historian Kate Williams and royal biographer Robert Hardman. We recorded two episodes, exploring:

• Why Americans, despite declaring independence in 1776, maintained such a deep fascination with the British monarchy

• How Gilded Age heiresses transformed diplomatic and social ties between the two nations

• And yes—we even touched on Wallis Simpson, whose story still fascinates us all

I’ll share links as soon as the episodes are released.

Off to the Royal School of Needlework

I’m travelling to Hampton Court Palace (today!) to deliver Alberta’s Worth dress to the Royal School of Needlework.

It’s an important step in the conservation journey of her extraordinary gown, and I’m thrilled to be starting this process with their expert team.

More soon…and I promise photos.

Seeds, seasons, and preparation in the kitchen garden

Although the new polytunnel isn’t being erected until the 29th and 30th of this month, the planning has already begun. I’ve ordered around 90 packets of seeds, which is a mix of beautiful vegetables and cutting flowers.

A few of the varieties:

• Drumstick Scabious - Sternkugel

• Nigella - Miss Jekyll Rose

• Mantovano Florence (Bulbing) Fennel

• Burpees Golden Zucchini Courgette

• Poppy - White Frills

It’s going to be a very colourful year ahead.

A new Historic House episode: Kirtlington Park

If you haven’t yet seen it, the latest Historic House feature is now live on the American Countess YouTube channel: Kirtlington Park.

It’s a Georgian gem with one of the most elegant façades we’ve filmed this year, and I can’t wait for you to explore it with me.

Watch the episode here:

Looking ahead

Between Substack milestones, new research, and the ongoing work at Mapperton, this season feels full of momentum. And as always, I’m very grateful to each of you — whether you read, watch, comment, or quietly follow along. Your support makes all of this possible.

More stories, more houses, more history soon.

With love and gratitude,
Julie