Julie Montagu. Viscountess of Hinchingbrooke

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VeeJayBee

VeeJayBee

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Has anyone been following Julie Montagu, Viscountess of Hinchingbrooke in Italy? During lockdown she bought a small house in a village called Fivizzano, Tuscany. I watched a couple of her You Tube vlogs on the subject, which I suspect will be mainly about the renos, with view to it being a holiday let.

I'd first seen her on Ladies Of London, I didn't really follow the show but saw a few episodes. She came accross as quite nice and down-to-earth, and I did not envy her the task of helping the family she married into keep their Grade I listed property up and running.

This from Harper's Bazaar about her:
Over 20 years ago, American-born Julie Montagu was at a party in London when she met the man who would later become her husband, Luke, Viscount Hinchingbrooke. She had no idea about his aristocratic background nor that he was the son of the Earl and Countess of Sandwich; in fact, she had no idea what a viscount even was. Twelve months on, the couple got married at her husband's ancestral home - the expansive Mapperton Estate in Dorset, a sprawling historic Tudor property with 52 rooms. Four years ago, the couple and their children moved in.​

Despite her new house in Italy being small she has engaged the interior designer she uses at Mapperton to assist. From what I gather she's only sent photos to him but she now has a set of drawings detailing the works that he proposes. She is visiting flea markets and reclamation yards, and also learning how to hang washing outdoors on a line, requesting hints on how to do it from her viewers. I've noticed that she calls everything about the new house "MY whatever" eg "MY window, MY door, My terrace MY stairs, MY bathroom". Yes, Julie we know you've bought the house but can't you just say "I'm going to open the window" ? Could it be a response to her feeling as if Mapperton is not hers?

(Her You Tube channel is not just about the Italian house project, it's subtitled "Yoga, Tea and the British Aristocracy")

 
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Hi!😉 What you mentioned about it all being MY, MY and MY is partly why I assumed she was single (until reading her info). All of the contract, bank and tax bits she spoke about only in the first person, so I just assumed she was on her own. After reading about their financials I also agree she will likely use the house in Tuscany as a revenue generator.
 
Denise0211 said:
Hi!😉 What you mentioned about it all being MY, MY and MY is partly why I assumed she was single (until reading her info). All of the contract, bank and tax bits she spoke about only in the first person, so I just assumed she was on her own. After reading about their financials I also agree she will likely use the house in Tuscany as a revenue generator.
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Hi too 😉 !
As Ladies of London was a few years ago I first thought she might've separated from her husband but happily it seems as if all is fine.
She's probably all MY MY MY as it's her project, quite a humble undertaking ompared to Mapperton so it's nice that she seems so keen and proud, although being able to call upon Mapperton's interior designer is more than handy.

I might do a catch-up, I only half-watched two episodes.
 
VeeJayBee said:
She has a Patreon! 😕
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Not surprising, haha. They really must need every cent.
I have only watched bits of when she bought the house, bits of some flag throwing parade in the centre of town, and very little the video of of how they got married (total clickbait, was about anything but how they met, married etc)
 
VeeJayBee said:
She's probably all MY MY MY as it's her project, quite a humble undertaking ompared to Mapperton so it's nice that she seems so keen and proud, although being able to call upon Mapperton's interior designer is more than handy.
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This is the vibe I got - that all the my my my's are because this is her pet project. She can have more ownership over it than she ever will of Mapperton, which fair enough. Maybe I haven't watched enough of the Mapperton videos because I can only take Julie in small amounts - her need to let you know she is from Chicago is something of a personal pet peeve of mine & her peppiness can be a bit much for me - but I've always got the impression that while her in-laws may own Mapperton & she and the Viscount run it that they're all cognizant they are custodians of an estate with a longer history than themselves which... obviously. I can respect that more than many of the other youtubers out there that are going into old manors or chateaus/villas and begging for money all while really making it about themselves to satisfy their mental health issues instead of getting therapy.

As for the Tuscany house, I have zero doubts it will be used as a holiday rental. I'm wondering if it's a test ballon project for her? If this goes well, she gets another airbnb type project in Croatia or something that they can tie into Mapperton. Like get married at Mapperton and honeymoon in the Tuscan countryside or on a private beach/island in the Adriatic all in one package.

I did die a little at the end of her How I Bought A House in Italy video when she goes if I can do it so can you. I mean it was a nicely informative video but she clearly mentioned that the documents she had to get were all done by her accountant so she really didn't do much of the actual process other than looking for houses in her chosen region in her budget and saying oh that one.
 
I've not checked out Julie's vlogs recently, I'll get around to a catch up. I think I got put off when I saw she has a Patreon account, fair enought if folk are simply paying just for an excercise class subscription or something like that - but if she's hustling to subsidise her reno videos (which are really only future Airbnb promos), or keeping Mapperton up and running, it would be too much.

Does anyone have a quick summary of how she operates, before I dive back in?
 
All her whining about the upkeep of mapperton and needing a patreon, just flaming sell the place if you’re that hard up, people are really struggling out here. It’s distasteful.
Also, anyone remember JUB balls?? Lmao
 
I agree, who cares less about how long some place has been in the family, most people have to sell the family home after ma and pa have gone, why should these types be any different just because it's a massive old pile. Yes, I understand about IHT but that should be anticipated.

Most heirs probably aren't really that concerned about history, they just don't want the ego hit if they're the one who loses the pile. Imagine the freedom one would feel if they had that place to sell, rather than being a slave to it. If I met some guy who needed me to e-beg and flog myself to keep his family's interests going I'd run a mile.
 
I’m late to this thread but I have been observing Julie on social for some time now.

I can finally put my finger on what bothers me -

First, it’s her approach to embracing the culture - at first I thought this was sweet but now I believe it’s simply a narcissistic way of swooping in and commanding a situation. She implies that she has easily finished her little house but then let’s slip that certain things are not going to be ready for at least a year - and in Italy the newcomers don’t know that a year is a very rough approximation.
Related to her embrace of the culture is her admittedly determined and admirable efforts to learn Italian. She’s done a pretty good job in a short time (who is paying for those 3x weekly Italian lessons - Patreon?) but now she claims to be “fluent” which is of course absurd. Then she sometimes takes back that of course she’s not fluent but then puts it out there again.

Secondly, we Italians are beyond over the whole Tuscany lovegasm. It’s incredibly trite. She didn’t seek out a lesser known place but went with the region that has the most marketing punch.

Just like Kylie Flavell.
 
Italian in Italy said:
I’m late to this thread but I have been observing Julie on social for some time now.

I can finally put my finger on what bothers me -

First, it’s her approach to embracing the culture - at first I thought this was sweet but now I believe it’s simply a narcissistic way of swooping in and commanding a situation. She implies that she has easily finished her little house but then let’s slip that certain things are not going to be ready for at least a year - and in Italy the newcomers don’t know that a year is a very rough approximation.
Related to her embrace of the culture is her admittedly determined and admirable efforts to learn Italian. She’s done a pretty good job in a short time (who is paying for those 3x weekly Italian lessons - Patreon?) but now she claims to be “fluent” which is of course absurd. Then she sometimes takes back that of course she’s not fluent but then puts it out there again.

Secondly, we Italians are beyond over the whole Tuscany lovegasm. It’s incredibly trite. She didn’t seek out a lesser known place but went with the region that has the most marketing punch.

Just like Kylie Flavell.
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Hi @Italian in Italy and welcome. I started this thread but became too annoyed about JMVoH so gave up following and therefore became neglectful of the thread - and getting pissed off by Kylie Flavell is enough aggravation. It is interesting to know that Julie has "finished" the house, I might have a look at a recent vlog out of curiosity to see what she has managed. I too admired the enthusiasm she showed in wanting to learn the language, I am very shy in such situations and would love to have such confidence, although claiming now one is "fleunt" in such a short time seems quite arrogant.
 
Denise0211 said:
Not surprising, haha. They really must need every cent.
I have only watched bits of when she bought the house, bits of some flag throwing parade in the centre of town, and very little the video of of how they got married (total clickbait, was about anything but how they met, married etc)
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That is true. I remember the early days when she started teaching yoga for extra cash. This article explains it

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Just discovered her YouTube account. Did know her already from Ladies of London. I do like her flea market videos but what really annoys me is the excessive touching of absolutely everything around her. Did her parents not teach her to look with her eyes as a child?
And the description of every item is identical, get a dictionary. Please just put some music over it so we don’t have to listen to you and just look at the pretty items.
Rant over 😅
 
I’ve watched her on and off for quite a few years . I’m non plus to her.

I wonder why he married her ?. I’m not being mean honest but I would have thought that he would have had a lot of British well bred ladies after him relentlessly.

Having said that, I know nothing of her background.

What I don’t like is when she’s begging for donations whilst sat in the mansion with priceless antiques and oil paintings in the background etc etc

When normal people get up and go out and work to pay bills!

The mansion is a noose around their neck. I don’t think it’s worth the stress .

Does the husband have a proper career?

He butts in and talks over her regularly.

I just find it all quite tacky .
 
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