Lady Carnarvon has revealed that she's "not enjoying" lockdown at Highclere Castle.
The 5,000-acre estate, located in Hampshire, has become a popular tourist attraction after being used as the main filming location for Downton Abbey - both in the series and the subsequent 2019 film.
Discussing lockdown at the historical site on ITV 's This Morning earlier today, Lady Carnarvon - whose real name is Fiona Aitken - explained that it had "taken time (for the situation) to sink in."
Mrs Aitken is the wife of the 8th Earl of Carnarvon George Herbert, the Queen 's godson.
The title refers to North Wales town Caernarfon but features the anglicised spelling.
Mrs Aitken said that the family rely on visitors and the hospitality sector, with the current restrictions leaving them in a less than favourable position.
The 55-year-old revealed that she had furloughed members of staff at the estate - which is worth an estimated £137 million - but shared her concern over the long-term impact of such measures.
She explained: "It's causing a greater debt for this country down the line (and) I would hope to employ a few people (soon) to kickstart their lives again."
Lady Carnarvon described the current situation as like "holding our breath" before responding to Phillip Schofield 's suggestion that the family are actually "rolling in it" though.
She however denied the claim and said the family "don't have a secret pot of gold," saying that their accumulated wealth "has been hard work" - and the result of business opportunities.
She added: "We didn't actually benefit from the success of the Downton film."
Instead, the family business has ventured into creating a new gin brand - which has become popular in the US - and other hospitality ventures, including tours of the estate.
"We're always looking for different business endeavours," Lady Carnarvon explained.
Philip noted that she's "worried about the future" and subsequently has to "think outside the box."
This includes now hosting a virtual cocktail party every Friday, with the family "going back to the archive" to find out what drinks people enjoyed during various historical eras.
"It's using my husband's mobile phone," she said, "so the whole thing is completely hysterical."
Lady Carnarvon added that it's part of "learning so much each and every day," and reevaluating aspects of our lives.
She explained: "I've noticed the bird song or the sky at nigh far more than I used to."
During the appearance, presenter Holly Willoughby question whether the 55-year-old had been cleaning the site's 300 rooms.
"I thought it's too much," she revealed though, "and I'm at my desk for about 12 hours a day (anyway)."
She however admitted on the ITV programme that she did "hoover one room because it had loads of flies in it."
Concluding the interview, Lady Carnarvon was asked whether it's "unusual" for the family to have the estate to themselves.
She responded: "It is but you know what i'm not really enjoying it.
"I didn't go out much yesterday and I didn't slept much as a result."
The 55-year-old author said that Highclere Castle is "not about the stones or the building," and is actually all about "the people and the community."
She said there's usually an "extraordinary" group of staff and "people who come because they love Downton Abbey."
Lady Carnarvon suggested that she misses "this wonderful happy muddle" of people usually at the historical site.
