The centuries-old practice of aristocratic titles only being passed on to male descendants could be about to come to an end, with several high-society heiresses set to inherit the family land and titles.
Boris Johnson is understood to have ordered the issue of male primogeniture be looked into as part of plans to make Parliament more welcoming to women.
If the practice is abolished, it would mean for the first time first-born daughters would take on their father s peerage instead of younger sons, as seen in shows such as ITV s Downton Abbey.
Here, FEMAIL reveals the stunning socialites who could inherit the family pile, and titles, under the new proposals, including Princess Diana s niece Kitty Spencer and Lady Willa Franks.
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Confessions of a chatelaine: the stories behind Britain s poshest podcast
The Duchess of Rutland of Belvoir Castle and her fellow chatelaines discuss their unusual occupation and the challenges that come with it
20 February 2021 • 10:00am
The Duchess of Rutland, right, presents the show; her daughter Lady Violet Manners, left, is its executive producer
Credit: Andrew Crowley
Earning your keep is that much harder when the “keep” is solid stone reality. Such is the challenge of the chatelaine, a woman in charge of a stately home. If you marry the heir to such a home, you will probably end up inheriting the task of maintaining the place, from its leaking roof to its creaking foundations, and you will have to devise ever-more ingenious fundraising strategies merely to keep the estate as it is.
Kitty Spencer for Dolce & Gabbana
Dolce & Gabbana’s infatuation with British royalty and aristocracy has long been a defining element of the Italian luxury house’s lavish and opulent collections. Dubbing their favourite clients their ‘Queens’, emblazoning gowns with regal touches and sending actual royalty down the runway has cemented the love affair between Baroque-inspired Italian craftsmanship and Britain’s rich history of majestic glamour. So, it comes as no surprise that the celebrated design duo would tap Princess Diana’s niece and three-time
Tatler cover star Lady Kitty Spencer for a global ambassadorship.
‘I am truly honored to be appointed as Global Ambassador for Dolce & Gabbana. Domenico and Stefano celebrate life’s wonders; family, joy, beauty, colour and love. Working with them is always a new experience, a unique opportunity to rediscover Italian culture, art, savoir-faire and lifestyle,’ says Spencer, ‘When I wear their pieces I feel their pass
Speaking on her podcast Duchess, the Duchess of Rutland said she was sad she and the Duke, who live at The Crown s Belvoir Castle, in Leicestershire, hadn t made the journey together .