Foreign Affairs

Dream weddings: lose hope those who hoped to say yes to Downton Abbey

The castle in the south of England, known for being the location of the very successful series, due to Brexit and consequent financial problems, will no longer host the weddings of moneyed couples

14/03/2023

Reuters

After achieving worldwide success as the location of the hit six-season series "Downton Abbey", Highclere Castle, located in the south of England, had become the favorite wedding venue for dozens of wealthy couples. Unfortunately, currently, the lucky and noble owner, Lady Fiona Carnarvon, is facing a major shortage of staff, caused by the lack of workers and students from the European Union. This situation forced Lady Fiona to suspend the main business of the structure, namely the organization of weddings with over 100 guests. Although ceremonies with 20 guests are still available, these are not enough to cover the running costs that can amount to several thousand pounds per day. In addition, the economic crisis resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and the increase in living costs contributed to the decrease in the company's turnover. Revenue from the souvenir shop also decreased due to the suspension of shipments to EU countries. Despite this, the owner of the castle said she was optimistic about new sources of income, such as the sale of a bottle of gin at a price of 35 pounds, which is having success in the United States.