Short Synopsis
From the Countess of Carnarvon comes the story behind Highclere Castle, the real-life inspiration and setting for the PBS series Downton Abbey, and the life of one of its most famous inhabitants: Lady Almina, the fifth Countess of Carnarvon.

Full Synopsis
Lady Almina and the Real Downton Abbey tells the story behind Highclere Castle, the real-life inspiration and setting for Julian Fellowes's Emmy Award–winning PBS show, and the life of one of its most famous inhabitants: Lady Almina, the fifth Countess of Carnarvon. Drawing on a rich store of materials from the archives of Highclere Castle, including diaries, letters, and photographs, the current Lady Carnarvon has written a transporting story of this fabled home on the brink of war.
 
Much like her Masterpiece Classic counterpart Lady Cora Crawley, Lady Almina was the daughter of a wealthy industrialist, Alfred de Rothschild, who married his daughter off at a young age, her dowry serving as the crucial link in the effort to preserve the Earl of Carnarvon's ancestral home.  Throwing open the doors of Highclere Castle to tend to the wounded of World War I, Lady Almina distinguished herself as a brave and remarkable woman.
 
This rich tale contrasts the splendor of Edwardian life in a great house against the backdrop of the First World War and offers an inspiring and revealing picture of the woman at the center of the history of Highclere Castle.

"Wanda McCaddon did a wonderful job at the narration." ---Susie Sharp, Librarian

"Gives the juicy back story behind last year's Emmy-winning Masterpiece Theater drama." ---The New York Times

"If you can't wait for the new season of Downton Abbey…this one's for you…. A revealing portrait of the changing times" ---New York Post

"The present Lady Carnarvon, who tapped the family archives for her comprehensive research, dramatically captures the estate during the pre-war and war years, and paints a compelling . . . portrait of Lady Almina." ---Newark Star-Ledger

"Wanda McCaddon invites listeners into the Countess of Carnarvon's breezy book, which blends a wealth of archival letters, diaries, and photographs." ---AudioFile

Audie Finalist

USA Today Bestseller

New York Times Bestseller