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FREE LADY ALMINA AND THE REAL DOWNTON ABBEY PDF Countess of Carnarvon | 320 pages | 30 Aug 2012 | Hodder & Stoughton General Division | 9781444730845 | English | London, United Kingdom Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey by The Countess of Carnarvon | Audiobook | Goodreads helps Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey keep track of books you want to read. Want to Read saving…. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Other editions. Enlarge cover. Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Open Preview See a Problem? Details if other :. Thanks for telling us about the problem. Return to Book Page. Highclere Castle has a new resident, the daughter-in-law of Lady Almina, an American beauty from New York and a descendant of famous American families. At just 19 and utterly entrancing, she had already received many proposals of marriage Highclere Castle has a new resident, the daughter-in-law of Lady Almina, an American beauty from New York and a descendant of famous American families. At just 19 and utterly entrancing, she had already received many proposals of marriage and immediately caught year-old Porchey's discerning eye. They married inand after the unexpected death of Almina's husband, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, they moved into Highclere Castle. Beset by death duties and money problems, the Earl and Countess were unsure they could keep Highclere. Thanks to the sale of the decade at Christies Auction House, hundreds of cherished paintings Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey under the hammer, from a Leonardo da Vinci to works by Reynolds, Gainsborough, and Romney. Porchey even sold the famous family pearls. By Catherine and Porchey knew they could stay. Over the next few years, the young couple entertained at Highclere, sharing it with other royalty and friends from London society. Catherine was much loved by the staff and adored by her husband and two young children. Although Almina still occasionally came to stay, Catherine's own American mother, Mrs. Jacob Wendell, was the most regular visitor. ByCatherine and Porchey's marriage had become increasingly troubled. Devastated, Catherine bravely unraveled her marriage. Porchey hastily traveled to New York to marry his new lover, who, however, ran off the night before the wedding with a Hollywood mogul. Now in London with her children, Catherine fell in love with a handsome and charming man, whom she married in Porchey continued at Highclere, having to find new staff the old staff accompanied Catherine to London and marrying the famous Austrian actress Tilly Losch on the day war broke out in Catherine's husband joined the navy while Porchey's new wife quickly left for America. Highclere Castle was turned into a home for evacuee children as well as lodging for soldiers. Porchey joined the war effort as an army adjutant later a liaison officer and was commended by the Americans stationed near Highclere. Catherine and Porchey's son Henry also joined the war in Like other wives and mothers, Catherine endured the unbearable stress of waiting for news of two beloved people in her life. Using copious materials - including diaries and scrapbooks - from the castle's archive, the Countess of Carnarvon brings alive a very modern story in a beautiful and famous setting, paying particular attention not just to the goings on upstairs, but also to the butler footmen and other staff whose lives downstairs kept the Castle moving forward into the twentieth century. Get A Copy. Paperbackpages. Published October 29th by Broadway Books first published January 1st More Details The Women of the Real Downton Abbey 2. Other Editions Friend Reviews. To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up. Lists with This Book. Community Reviews. Showing Average rating 3. Rating details. More filters. Sort order. May 28, Julie Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey rated it really liked it Shelves: non- fictionengland-uk. Lady Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey writes extremely well of Highclere and the family history. I found quite a few similarities in their history and some of Downton's plot lines. Mar 18, Gina rated it it was amazing Shelves: culture-and- traditionsenglandnonfictionroyaltyhistoryfavorites. For anyone who loved the series Downton Abbey as much as I did, Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey book is a must read. This books tells the real story of Highclere Castle, upon which the fictional Downton Abbey is based. Her husband would become known as the 6th Earl of Carnarvon. The author of this amazing book, the current Countess of Carnarvon, delved into many historical documents, scrapbooks, and diaries at Highclere to For anyone who loved the series Downton Abbey as much as I did, this book is a must read. The author of this amazing book, the current Countess of Carnarvon, delved into many historical documents, scrapbooks, and diaries at Highclere to bring us this story of a beautiful American woman Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey would play an integral part in the survival of Highclere post WWI, when many of the other grand houses did not. This book is not only a must read for Downton Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey fans, but is of great interest to anyone interested in the history of the British aristocrats and the homes they reside in, along with the traditions, sacrifices, rules, and expectations they live with day to day. View 1 comment. Dec 15, Sara rated it liked it Shelves: kindle-purchase. Quite interesting, especially in the light of having just read The Visitors and spent a little time with the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, father of this one. Another contributing factor in my enjoyment was my passion for Downton Abbey. I was fascinated by how many of the plot twists in Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey story were ripped right from the true experiences of these people and their magnificent estate. The book is historically accurate in every detail that I could personally verify. Lady Carnarvon had access to all the Quite interesting, especially in the light of having just read The Visitors and spent a little time with the 5th Earl of Carnarvon, father of this one. Lady Carnarvon had access to all the historical records and artifacts of the home and that must have helped tremendously in fleshing Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey these people and detailing life at Highclere. There are all the usual spottings of the rich and famous, coming and going at Highclere, particularly during World War II, but there is also enough beneath the surface revelation on Lady Catherine and the Earl to make them seem individual and not stereotypes. View 2 comments. As amazing as the history of Highclere is, Countess Carnarvon can't write. Such a shame. Oct 26, Will Cross rated it did not like it. Both women married Porchey- the Sixth Earl, who spent his life hunting, shooting and flirting. The Earl was a rascal who rode race horses and was an over active sex pest to womankind. The Carnarvons display courage in declaring the American born Lady Catherine had a drink problem with bouts of depression and despair. The reasons for Catherine almost never being sober Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey complicated and alas not well enough explained here. From that account there are stark differences not tackled hereCatherine carried burdens including the horrors of a shattered childhood after her father died suddenly when she was aged eleven. From Almina viewing the attractive, referential, refugee, Catherine, first as a gold digger which she certainly was, she was skint before marriage to Porchey the two women found an enmity, against the same foe, Porchey, they became life long friends and allies and shared secrets and lies. Sadly despite the combined resources of the Highclere Archives, an international publisher, a ghost writer, archivists and researchers many of the other central particulars linking the story together are unsound, even some shocking errors including a rewrite of history which claims that Lord Kitchener died at the Battle of Jutland but which was over before the ship HMS Hampshire he was travelling on, hit a mine and sunk! A similar sloppy error can be found in a reference to the reception after Catherine married a second time in One of the hosts, Percy Griffiths, is mentioned as taking part in fact fell off a horse and died the previous year! Good prose masks many howlers as does a Readers Digest version of Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey 20th century history frolics with an irksome tendency to sweep too many irrelevant people and places with an unnecessary timeline of the non- players in the dull tales of Prime Ministers, and seedy diplomats downwards including a appalling chunk of inflated history on the Abdication crisis where Porchey claims fame in his wildly inaccurate memoirs which are repeated, but is just as inaccurate as they was when he regaled them to his ghost writer, Barry Wynne. Against the odds too Catherine made a passable Highclere chatelaine, she had good taste and style in fashion trends and make up innovations of the age. She was a good looking woman her Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey life, despite the knocks and the fact that she felt despised and humiliated by Porchey and was crippled emotionally by a perceived embarrassment possessed by her own son. Catherine was left out in the cold especially when the young Lord Porchester later the Seventh Earl walked high with Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose. The bankrupt granny, Almina, was also snubbed by the House of Windsor. Almina snubbed back! Some parts of the book are adequate and praiseworthy.

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