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A Real Housewives of Toronto star has revealed how she bought Kent’s £11 million heritage-listed Lympne Castle and plans to film a reality TV series following its £15 million refurbishment.
Dr. Ann Kaplan Mulholland, Toronto, along with her husband Dr. Steven Mulholland owns the 1,000-year-old medieval castle after it was put on the market for £11 million.
The self-made entrepreneur, who has a net worth of over £500 million, is one of the stars of The Real Housewives of Toronto and is a household name in her native Canada.
Ann and her husband, who is a plastic surgeon, threw caution to the wind after their right-hand children flew out of the nest and decided to buy a bolthole in Britain.
The couple in love bought the historic castle in Kent that overlooks Romney Marsh and the English Channel towards France.
Dr. Toronto’s Ann Kaplan Mulholland has revealed how she bought the £11million listed Lympne Castle in Kent and plans to film a reality TV series following its £15million refurbishment
Ann, along with husband Steven, bought the 1,000-year-old medieval castle after it was put on the market for £11 million
Ann said: ‘I was drawn to the beauty of the architecture, the magic of visiting (let alone owning) a real castle (with turrets and all) and the beautiful English countryside. Visiting Lympne Castle was like fulfilling a dream.’
The magnificent chateau measures 27,000 square meters and comes with fortified towers, 20 bedrooms, a sumptuous wood paneled Great Hall, a restaurant and kitchens, four cottages, walled gardens, a vineyard, orchard, stables and 139 acres of woodland and pasture.
As well as Lympne Castle being a glorious home to the Kaplan Mulholland clan, the famous family will continue the castle’s long-established use as a magical, fairy-tale wedding venue.
Ann rushed to rescue dozens of brides who had been told by the previous owners that their upcoming wedding at the castle had been canceled due to the sale of the venue.
Not only has she agreed to honor those weddings that were booked before she took over, she’s given the brides and grooms a 20 percent discount on their big day.
Ann said, ‘What bride wouldn’t want to get married in a castle? Lympne Castle, just over an hour’s drive from London, offers a true fantasy experience.
“From the moment you enter through the grand stone-walled and turreted gates to when a lady-in-waiting greets you, the whole experience transports you back hundreds of years in time.”
The couple also make a deal with a major TV network to film a docu-reality series about Lympne Castle and their upcoming adventures to transform the location.
The magnificent castle is 27,000 square meters in size and comes with fortified towers, 20 bedrooms, a lavish wood paneled Great Hall, a restaurant and kitchens and four cottages
The famous family will continue the castle’s long-established use as a magical, fairy-tale wedding venue
The castle is surrounded by beautiful walled gardens which add to the historic character of the property
They plan to invest £15 million in a major refurbishment of the castle, which over the years has played host to A-List guests such as Paul McCartney – who recorded an album there with Wings and Mick Jagger.
Ann explained, “We’re refurbishing the castle – the goal is for every piece, every turn, every encounter to become an experience.
“I’m saying if you’re going to buy a castle, go all in!”
The TV series will be a combination of the beloved historical drama Downton Abbey and Escape to the Chateau, where Dick and Angel Strawbridge transformed a once damp and abandoned 19th century folly into a beautiful family home and wedding venue.
The Chateau comes with walled gardens, a vineyard, orchard, stables and 139 acres of woodland and pasture
They plan to invest £15 million in a major renovation of the castle, which has played host to A-List guests such as Paul McCartney over the years
Ann and her husband, who is a plastic surgeon, threw caution to the wind after the youngest of their eight children left the nest and decided to buy a bolthole in Britain
Ann’s ultimate ambition is to transform the castle into a unique medieval tourist destination, conference and event venue.
She said: ‘Imagine being transported back in time as a guest to visit a castle centuries ago – but with the fun music and atmosphere, with knights of the realm greeting you, and jesters, stewards and ladies dressed in clothes from the old days.’
Ann intends to employ local people and suppliers and looks forward to embracing and supporting the local community, giving the castle a new lease of life to preserve it for future generations.
She said, “We will return and support the Earldom of Kent, the act of giving will be incorporated into our culture at the Castle.”
The TV personality leads a hectic, jet-set lifestyle, owning 11 beautiful and palatial homes around the world, including Las Vegas and Hawaii
Ann’s ultimate ambition is to transform the castle into a unique medieval tourist destination, conference and event venue
The TV personality lives a hectic, jet-set lifestyle, with 11 beautiful and palatial homes around the world, including Las Vegas and Hawaii.
She is a public speaker, social media influencer, and a published author with six books to her credit.
She is also known for her philanthropy and supports many charities such as SickKids, CANFAR, Starlight Children’s Foundation, Transforming Faces and ACT.
She has also written a 476-page coffee table book called Fashion Cares, with proceeds going to the Elton John AIDS Foundation and other charities.
Ann intends to employ local people and suppliers and looks forward to embracing and supporting the local community
Off screen, Ann previously worked in finance with a focus on consumer credit scores. She founded iFinance, a North American consumer fintech company
Off screen, Ann previously worked in finance with a focus on consumer credit scores.
She founded iFinance, a North American consumer fintech company, and took it from start-up to one of the largest consumer finance companies in Canada.
She holds a DBA (Doctor of Business Administration), MBA (Master of Business Administration), MSc (Master of Sciences) and an ICD.D (Corporate Governance Designation).
Lympne Castle is open for weddings and civil functions, with packages starting at £15,000.