Time to recalibrate...

As the Earl and Countess of Devon prepare for some extended family time to recharge their batteries Stateside, SHARON GOBLE meets them to talk Megxit, Mayflower 400 and all things Powderham

- SHARON GOBLE

They may be landed aristocracy but the Earl and Countess of Devon don’t stand on ceremony; they prefer to be known simply as Charlie and AJ.

Their Devon home is one of the county’s most important country estates but they are as down-to-earth a couple as you could hope to meet. AJ admits she’s more at home in a camper van than a castle. No surprise then that the Courtenays plan to take their two children back to California later this year for an extended catch-up with the American side of their family.

Our interview takes place in one of the less imposing rooms inside historic Powderham Castle, a comfy drawing room with views towards the Exe Estuary and an open fire in the grate. Our chat over tea and biscuits is interrupted by frequent bursts of laughter and the gentle, intermittent snoring of Rubi, their elderly border terrier (affectionately called “our first baby”).