Emma Manners, Duchess of Rutland

Emma Manners, Duchess of Rutland (née Watkins) is a Welsh-born British noblewoman.

Biography

Born Emma Watkins, the daughter of a farmer from Knighton, Powys (then within Radnorshire), after schooling she started training as an opera singer at the Guildhall School of Music, but dropped out. She then began training as a land agent in Southampton, but quickly moved into working in estate agents marketing properties in London. Chronically dyslexic, she was sacked for charging a buyer £10,000 too much on purchasing a property. She then worked as an interior designer until her marriage, after meeting her future husband at a dinner party.^[1]

Today, the Duchess runs the commercial activities of Belvoir Castle, including shooting parties, weddings and a range of furniture.^[2] She has presented on various television programmes, including ITV's Castles, Keeps and Country Homes, and has produced a book about Belvoir Castle.^[1]

Personal life

She married David Manners in 1992.^[1] The couple have five children:

• Lady Violet Diana Louise Manners (b. 18 August 1993)
• Lady Alice Louisa Lilly Manners (b. 27 April 1995)
• Lady Eliza Charlotte Manners (b. 17 July 1997)
• Charles John Montague, Marquess of Granby (b. 3 July 1999)
• Lord Hugo William James Manners (b. 24 July 2003)

The family lived in the adjacent Knipton Lodge, a six-bedroomed Georgian house until 2001, when on the death of the 10th Duke they moved into the newly renovated "Private Apartments" within Belvoir, which were the newly renovated former Nanny's apartment. The couple have a staff of one butler and a nanny.^[1]

Titles and Styles

• Emma Watkins (b.19?? – 1992)
• Marchioness of Granby (1992 -2 January 1999)
• Duchess of Rutland (2 January 1999 –

References