Britain's first black viscountess tells of furious row with her father-in-law

Published: 2013 August 18 17:54:06 (4430 Views)

The new lady of Longleat House has told of her regret that her father-in-law the Marquess of Bath chose to boycott her wedding two months ago.

Emma McQuiston, daughter of a Nigerian oil tycoon, became Britain's first black viscountess when she wed Lord Bath's son and heir Ceawlin Thynn, Viscount Weymouth.

But the eccentric Lord Bath, nicknamed the Loins of Longleat for his string of 'wifelets', stayed away from the nuptials after a furious dispute over the moving of some of his famous erotic murals from the couple's apartment within the stately home.

'It's very sad he didn't come to the wedding and that the misunderstanding has escalated to this point, but what can I do?' Emma says in an exclusive interview with The Mail on Sunday's You magazine today. 'I hope in time it can all be resolved.'

In an attempt to assuage her father-in-law, she added: 'I can assure you that none of the murals that were previously in place in our apartment have been "binned".

'The ones Ceawlin has moved have been very carefully preserved.'

Ceawlin, 39, took over the running of Longleat and its safari park three years ago, and his engagement and marriage to Emma was welcomed by many as bringing a breath of fresh air to the British aristocracy.

But Emma, 27, whose mother is socialite Suzanna McQuiston and who has known her husband since she was four, insisted she would run a more old-fashioned household at Longleat than the bohemian lifestyle preferred by Lord Bath, 71.

'I like the traditional way,' she says, adding she prefers dressing up to dressing down.

It is believed Lady Bath, who spends most of her time in Paris, objected to Emma marrying her son at Longleat because she thought her too ambitious and keen to use Longleat to promote her career as a cook.

Undeterred, Emma insists that she would like to expand her healthy cookery 'brand'. She jokes her new family name – Thynn – makes a neat fit with a career as a celebrity chef.

Emma also believes children will bring Longleat to life. 'To maintain a place like this, you need to move with the times. It's a special thing to be treasured, but it needs to have lots of youth and energy to be alive.

'I guess I'm young to be getting married and thinking about babies but I feel, hopefully, I will be able to get on with it as soon as it happens. I think I want two children – I say that now but I might get addicted and have, like, ten!'

- DM

Tags: aristocrats, Longleat,

Britain's first black viscountess tells of furious row with her father-in-law

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