Highclere Castle, Berkshire · The real Downton Abbey

Step inside.
Become part
of the story.

An exclusive membership giving you the Castle, the family, and a community of Friends from around the world, things no ordinary visitor can experience.

Watch, 2 mins

Lady Carnarvon introduces Friends of Highclere Castle

A personal welcome

"Highclere has so many stories to tell. We are so delighted you want to hear them."

Lady Carnarvon is the heart of Friends of Highclere. Every Friday she takes members behind the scenes, into rooms, gardens and stories that no public visit can reach.

Once a month she hosts the Book Club: a private live evening broadcast from the Castle, welcoming a celebrated author for conversation over drinks and nibbles. It feels nothing like a webinar. It feels like being invited in.

This is privileged access, to the Castle, to the family, and to the life that goes on here long after the last public visitor has left.

Lady Carnarvon, Chatelaine of Highclere Castle

What your membership includes

Four ways inside the Castle

Every pillar is updated regularly. Your archive grows every week you are a Friend.

Friends on Friday

A new behind-the-scenes film every Friday, rooms, gardens, history and daily life at the Castle. The collection grows week by week.

The Book Club

Private live evenings with Lady Carnarvon and celebrated authors. Every month, every Friend invited, no extra charge. Full archive included.

Virtual Highclere

Immersive 360° tours of rooms never open to visitors, the State Drawing Room, Music Room, private apartments. Explore at your own pace.

Events & exclusives

Summer parties, winter balls, cooking series and special evenings, priority booking and access unavailable to the general public.

Privileged access

Things only Friends see

Highclere receives thousands of visitors every year. They walk the state rooms, admire the gardens and sense the history. But there is another Highclere entirely, the one that belongs to the family, to the seasons, to the stories behind closed doors.

Rooms never opened to visitors

Virtual tours of ceremonial rooms and private apartments that no public visit reaches, rooms even many staff have never entered.

Events before anyone else knows

Friends hear about summer parties and winter balls before public announcement, and book before tickets go on general sale.

Conversations found nowhere else

The Book Club evenings are exclusive to members. Lady Carnarvon’s warmth and her authors are found here, and nowhere else.

Become a Friend
of Highclere Castle

Join thousands of members worldwide for exclusive access to the Castle, the family, and a community you won’t find anywhere else.

Friend

£10 per month

£120 per year - billed annually

A new behind-the-scenes film every Friday
Monthly live Book Club evenings
Immersive 360° virtual tours
Cooking with Lady Carnarvon recipe series
Full access to the 300+ film archive

Join as Friend

Frequently asked

Do I get access to all 300+ films immediately? +

Yes, from the moment you join you have instant access to the complete archive, every Book Club evening, and all 35 virtual tours.

Can I watch on my television as well as my laptop? +

Friends of Highclere works on any device with a web browser, including smart TVs, tablets, phones and laptops. No app download required.

What about the monthly Book Club events? +

All future Book Club evenings are included at no extra cost. Miss a live event? It is added to the archive within a few days so you can watch at your convenience.

I’m not in the UK, is the membership still worthwhile? +

Absolutely. Many of our Friends are in the US, Canada, Europe and Australia. You can access never-before-seen rooms of the Castle virtually, our Book Club event times are always shown in both BST and ET, and all content streams worldwide.

Can I cancel at any time? +

Yes, cancel anytime. We also offer a 30-day money-back guarantee. If you are not happy for any reason in your first 30 days, we will refund you in full, no questions asked.

Step inside.Become partof the story.