MAKING HER DEBUT AS OUR SOCIAL EDITOR-AT-LARGE THE MARCHIONESS OF BATH TAKES US BEHIND THE SCENES AT CANNES FILM FESTIVAL AND IT'S GLITZ AND GLAMOUR ALL THE WAY

Whether she is walking the runway or the red carpet, or descending the sweeping staircase of her magnificent Longleat home, the Marchioness of Bath, Emma Thynn, always makes a showstopping entrance.

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And after jetting off to the 77th Cannes Film Festival for her first assignment as HELLO!'s new social editor-at-large, she dazzled at every glamorous event in town as she mingled with the glitterati on the French Riviera.

Here, Emma, 38, who is married to Ceawlin, the 8th Marquess of Bath and has two sons - nine-year-old Viscount Weymouth and seven-yearold Lord Henry - shares her unforgettable experiences...

As I count down to Cannes every year, my heart is always aflutter with a combination of excitement and jitters – but the key thing, I’ve learnt, is that it’s all in the planning.

Once you’re in, there’s no turning back. Burning the candle at both ends is mandatory and the atmosphere is frenetic from the moment you land.

The Côte d’Azur is at capacity, items go missing, things go wrong, you might need to wait an hour to get into a lift (top tip: try to get a room on the first floor) and you’ll spend more time in traffic than at a single event, but you’ll probably have the time of your life.

And this year, the Cannes Film Festival is as sensational as ever. From the moment I arrive, the combination of the shimmering Mediterranean Sea, diamonds and ball dresses is intoxicating.

In the weeks leading up to the event, I up my workouts and take every lymphatic drainage massage I can in between school runs, in anticipation of lightning-speed fittings for a multitude of exclusive soirees and world premieres, rubbing shoulders with A-list stars from all over the world.

Outfit changes happen on the hour, every hour, and photoshoots are crammed in between parties.

FRANTIC START