Born Emma Watkins, the Duchess of Rutland is the daughter of a farmer from Knighton, Powys. She worked as an estate agent, marketing properties in London, and later as an interior designer. Today, the Duchess runs the commercial activities of Belvoir Castle, including shooting parties, weddings and a range of furniture. She has presented on various television programmes, including ITV’s Castles, Keeps and Country Homes, and has produced a book about Belvoir Castle. The Accidental Duchess is her fourth book.
In 2021, the Duchess created a podcast titled Duchess, where she interviews chatelaines of castles and stately homes throughout the United Kingdom. In her podcast’s first season, her interviewees included Lady Henrietta Spencer-Churchill of Blenheim Palace and Lady Mansfield of Scone Palace.
Watkins married David Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland, in 1992. The pair have five children.
