How the savvy Duchess of Rutland is the UK’s most business-minded aristocrat

Never mind the Kardashians, it’s difficult to keep up with the Duchess of Rutland. 

Fresh from opening up her lavish home – Belvoir Castle – to be used as the set for The Crown, this week entrepreneurial Emma Manners, 56, announced her latest project; a branded gin.

It’s not the first niche item to be given the prestigious Belvoir trademark; the on-site Engine Yard retail village, built within restored estate buildings, sells a range of products carrying the increasingly familiar navy and gold peacock insignia.

Not familiar with her work? Try following one of her four Instagram accounts, all of which document the duchess’ latest projects – and show off the glamorous lifestyle enjoyed by her and her five children, Lady Violet Manners, 26, Lady Alice, 24, Lady Eliza, 22, Charles, Marquess of Granby, 20, and Lord Hugo Manners, 16. 

Having separated from her husband David Charles Robert Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland, the pair live in separate wings of the Leicestershire pile, with Emma listed as CEO of Belvoir Castle and the Engine Yard.

And she certainly keeps herself busy. Here FEMAIL takes a look at how the savvy duchess is fast becoming the UK’s most business-minded aristocrat.

This week entrepreneurial Emma Manners, the Duchess of Rutland, 56, announced her latest project – a branded Belvoir gin

Filming The Crown at Belvoir Castle

If you want to draw attention to your home, letting a Golden Globe Award-winning Netflix show film inside is one way to do it.

The opulent stately manor formed the backdrop for scenes in season two of The Crown, as well as Young Victoria in 2007 and The Da Vinci Code.

And the Cardiff-born duchess was keen to share the news on Instagram, letting fans know they can of course visit Belvoir Castle for guided tours of the house and garden – many of which have done so, if the comments are anything to go by. 

These cost £20 for an adult and £10 for children, and guests can enjoy afternoon tea, bird of prey displays and even stay the night. 

The duchess shared the news that Belvoir Castle was used to film The Crown on her Instagram page @belvoircastle

The duchess shared the news that Belvoir Castle was used to film The Crown on her Instagram page @belvoircastle

The opulent stately home formed the backdrop for scenes in season two of Netflix series The Crown

The opulent stately home formed the backdrop for scenes in season two of Netflix series The Crown

Belvoir’s gardens have undergone several major changes over the centuries, with the latest being a two-year restoration by the Duchess in 2016. 

‘Visit us this week and discover some of the magnificent rooms that The Crown was filmed in,’ an Instagram caption read, accompanying a photo of Olivia Colman as The Queen, with the hashtag #visitbritain. 

The Engine Yard

Open seven days a week, the Engine Yard is a a retail unit located within restored buildings dating back to 1850 within the Vale of Belvoir – once a saw mill, wagon making shop and a wheelwright’s shop.

The Engine Yard is also home to the Balloon Bar - where, naturally, the duchess' latest endeavour, her Belvoir gin, is served

The Engine Yard is also home to the Balloon Bar – where, naturally, the duchess’ latest endeavour, her Belvoir gin, is served

The Duchess of Rutland revealed her Belvoir Gin on Instagram, which costs £39.95 for 70cl

The Duchess of Rutland revealed her Belvoir Gin on Instagram, which costs £39.95 for 70cl

It also boasts a wellness centre with a yoga instructor, Sunita Passi, pictured, offering treatments and therapies

It also boasts a wellness centre with a yoga instructor, Sunita Passi, offering treatments and therapies

It also boasts a wellness centre with a yoga instructor, Sunita Passi, pictured,offering treatments and therapies

Following a substantial £2.5million renovation, overseen by the duchess and completed in May last year, it’s now a bustling hub of shops and outlets selling local food and ‘the best of country living’, with events such as cookery demonstrations, flower festivals, themed pop-up dinners and ‘foodie talks’ taking place. 

The Engine Yard is also home to the Balloon Bar – where, naturally, the duchess’ latest endeavour, her Belvoir gin, is served. A 70cl bottle costs £39.95.

There’s also a wellbeing spa, a garden centre, a chocolatier and an outdoor play area for children. The Duchess, it seems, has thought of everything.

The Duchess Gallery 

Arguably the jewel in Emma’s crown within the Engine Yard is the Duchess Gallery, which is stocked with a collection of luxury fashion, gifts and homeware handpicked by her. 

Arguably the jewel in Emma's crown within the Engine Yard is the Duchess Gallery, which is stocked with a collection of luxury fashion, gifts and homeware handpicked by her

Arguably the jewel in Emma's crown within the Engine Yard is the Duchess Gallery, which is stocked with a collection of luxury fashion, gifts and homeware handpicked by her

Arguably the jewel in Emma’s crown within the Engine Yard is the Duchess Gallery, which is stocked with a collection of luxury fashion, gifts and homeware handpicked by her

Appealing to canine lovers, the duchess advertised its latest Barbour dog collection on social media with a cute pup, using the popular hashtag #dogsofInstagram and attracting the attention of pet influencers

Appealing to canine lovers, the duchess advertised its latest Barbour dog collection on social media with a cute pup, using the popular hashtag #dogsofInstagram and attracting the attention of pet influencers

The Duchess Gallery sells a range of branded products, including Belvoir Candles (pictured) and The Duchess Gallery chopping boards

The Duchess Gallery sells a range of branded products, including Belvoir Candles and The Duchess Gallery chopping boards (pictured)

The Duchess Gallery sells a range of branded products, including Belvoir Candles (left) and The Duchess Gallery chopping boards (right)

The duchess uses this dedicated Instagram account to share artistic, stylish compositions of her favourite items on offer – some of which are Belvoir branded.

This includes a set of heart-shaped chopping boards emblazoned with The Duchess Gallery – which also has its own logo featuring a single peacock feather, keeping it ‘on brand’. 

There’s also a range of luxurious Belvoir candles which come in a range of fragrances. 

Appealing to canine lovers, the savvy duchess advertised its latest Barbour dog collection on social media with a cute pup, using the popular hashtag #dogsofInstagram and attracting the attention of pet influencers.

Celebrity endorsements

When launching a new project, it certainly helps to have a few A-list friends happy to help you out.

The Duchess of Rutland invited her friends Liz Hurley and Susannah Constantine to the Engine Yard and Duchess Gallery launch party

The Duchess of Rutland invited her friends Liz Hurley and Susannah Constantine to the Engine Yard and Duchess Gallery launch party

To open the Engine Yard to the public, Emma invited Hollywood actress Liz Hurley – whom she has known for 18 years – and TV celebrity Susannah Constantine to her lavish launch party.

The trio arrived in a horse drawn carriage, with Ms Hurley singing her praises, telling the crowds: ‘Emma has done such a phenomenal job. Every time I come I see more special and beautiful things with the castle.’ 

Not a bad endorsement – and a great way to grab headlines and attract visitors. 

Renting out the estate   

The Duchess of Rutland has recently listed a cottage in grounds of Belvoir Castle on popular letting site Airbnb, following a £1million refurbishment – and she has decorated it in the style of her own luxurious home.

Croxton Park House is located four miles from the castle within Croxton Park, a country estate near Grantham, set in a secluded, picturesque valley. 

The Duchess of Rutland has recently listed a cottage in grounds of Belvoir Castle (pictured) on Airbnb, following a £1million refurbishment

The Duchess of Rutland has recently listed a cottage in grounds of Belvoir Castle (pictured) on Airbnb, following a £1million refurbishment

Croxton Park House can accommodate 12 guests in six stunning bedrooms with interiors chosen by the duchess

Croxton Park House can accommodate 12 guests in six stunning bedrooms with interiors chosen by the duchess

The duchess said she's determined to preserve the history of Belvoir while protecting its future. Pictured: the 'office pup' Isla on the lawn outside the castle

The duchess said she’s determined to preserve the history of Belvoir while protecting its future. Pictured: the ‘office pup’ Isla on the lawn outside the castle

The duchess recently announced on Instagram that it is now available for private hire, accommodating 12 guests in six stunning bedrooms with interiors chosen by her.

It’s not cheap; the residence costs £850 a night, plus a £150 cleaning fee and a £155 service fee, making it £1,155 in total. 

Yet the duchess will be hoping its unique interiors and historic roots will be enough of a draw for tourists, as keeping up the estate can be financially challenging.

In 2017, Channel 4 show Phil Spencer’s Stately Home visited the castle, in which the duchess said she’s determined to preserve the history of Belvoir while protecting its future, adding that it costs £500,000 a year ‘just to keep it rolling’.

‘If I was able to leave it financially secure for my son, I’d really feel I’d ticked a box,’ she said on the show. She’s certainly heading in the right direction.

WHO ARE THE MANNERS SISTERS? 

The current custodians of Belvoir Castle, the 11th Duke and Duchess of Rutland have three daughters – each one more glamorous than the next. 

Lady Violet Manners, 25, and her sisters Lady Alice, 23, and  Lady Eliza, 21, grew up in neo-Gothic splendour in the Leicestershire stately pile, along with their younger brothers, Charles, Marquess of Granby, 19, and Lord Hugo Manners, 15. 

Now, they’re familiar faces on the London scene, regularly appearing in the pages of society bible Tatler or Vanity Fair. 

Despite their parents’ separation in 2012, the Manners family remain a tight-knit unit, with the Duke and Duchess simply rejigging their living quarters so they could both remain in residence at Belvoir Castle. 

Seen left to right: The Duke and Duchess of Rutland's daughters Lady Violet Manners, 25, Lady Alice Manners, 23, and Lady Eliza Manners, 21, at an event in London in July

Seen left to right: The Duke and Duchess of Rutland’s daughters Lady Violet Manners, 25, Lady Alice Manners, 23, and Lady Eliza Manners, 21, at an event in London in July

Just like the fifth Duchess for whom the youngest of the Manners sisters – who all attended a traditional all-girls boarding school, £29,000-a-year Queen Margaret’s in York – is named, the glamorous trio famously love a party. 

Eliza’s 18th birthday bash saw her and her bother Emma take to the stage to entertain guests with a rendition of Cat Stevens’ Father and Son. 

Her father the Duke, David Manners, dressed as a ringmaster in a top hat for the circus-themed bash.   

It followed Alice’s similarly lavish 18th birthday party at the castle, which had an Arabian Nights theme, and saw her two brothers arrive by camel.  

Violet, the oldest of the Manners girls at 25, documents her glamorous lifestyle on Instagram just like her sisters. She heads up her own brand strategy consultancy

Violet, the oldest of the Manners girls at 25, documents her glamorous lifestyle on Instagram just like her sisters. She heads up her own brand strategy consultancy

Lady Alice, 23, who attended the Conde Nast College of Fashion and Design, is an accomplished horse rider as well as being something of a style expert

Lady Alice, 23, who attended the Conde Nast College of Fashion and Design, is an accomplished horse rider as well as being something of a style expert

Newcastle University graduate Lady Eliza, 21, celebrated her 21st birthday with a lavish bash at the sprawling family pile over the summer 

Newcastle University graduate Lady Eliza, 21, celebrated her 21st birthday with a lavish bash at the sprawling family pile over the summer 

 

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