Smithsonian Channel Presents AN AMERICAN ARISTOCRAT'S GUIDE TO GREAT ESTATES

Julie Montagu, Viscountess Hinchingbrooke, gives an all-access pass into some of Great Britain's most magnificent homes, revealing their incredible histories and the aristocratic families, both past and present, who have taken up residence in each estate. AN AMERICAN ARISTOCRAT'S GUIDE TO GREAT ESTATES is an intimate tour of estates with priceless treasures, exquisite gardens, aristocratic dramas and deep secrets. In the new eight-part series, Julie explores the challenges of living in a national treasure and the creative ways owners keep their estates running. AN AMERICAN ARISTOCRAT'S GUIDE TO GREAT ESTATES premieres Sunday, May 17 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Smithsonian Channel.

Julie Montagu, an all-American girl from Illinois, moved to London for work, where she met her future husband, Luke. Upon their marriage, she became Viscountess Hinchingbrooke and moved to her husband's historic family estate in Dorset - 16th century Mapperton House. Each episode explores how homeowners balance their sacred trust to maintain centuries-old houses with raising their families and accommodating the public. Julie's title brings its perks and her inside connections give her access to some of Britain's most illustrious aristocrats, from the 10th Duke of Roxburghe, who lives in Scotland's largest inhabited castle, to the Duke of Buccleuch, the biggest individual landowner in Britain and a relative of the Montagu family. They share colorful and sometimes scandalous stories behind the exquisite portraits and priceless artifacts that reflect the rich history of each home.

In the premiere episode, INVERARAY CASTLE, Julie travels to a remote corner of the country to visit a family that has been at the heart of British history for centuries. The Duke and Duchess of Argyll are raising their three children at the legendary home of the Campbell clan, a spectacular Gothic castle on the edge of Loch Fyne in the Scottish Highlands. Exploring its 80 rooms, Julie discovers echoes of clan warfare, has a close encounter with one of its five ghosts and sees how the Duke and Duchess preserve 800 years of family history. She learns THE CODE for how to tell an aristocrat's rank from his or her coronet. And she gets to test her mettle at caber tossing in the famous Highland Games, which began as a way for Campbell chieftains to find their best soldiers.

Please click here for a weekly schedule and episode descriptions of AN AMERICAN ARISTOCRAT'S GUIDE TO GREAT ESTATES.

An American-born aristocrat in a land of storied nobility, Julie Montagu is a regular Royal commentator and one of London's top yoga and nutrition teachers - named one of the top holistic healthy icons in the world.

AN AMERICAN ARISTOCRAT'S GUIDE TO GREAT ESTATES is produced by Nutshell TV for Smithsonian Channel. Mike Kemp is executive producer for Nutshell TV. Charles Poe and David Royle serve as executive producers for Smithsonian Channel.

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