In June, we invited Sir David Beckham to edit the October 22, 2025, issue — and we could not be more excited to say that it's out now.
And the football legend is in good company, following in the footsteps of His Majesty The King, who has edited the magazine twice, and The Queen, who has edited it once.
Inside, he reveals why the countryside means so much to him and his family, shows Alan Titchmarsh round his Cotswolds garden and whips up his favourite recipe with Tom Parker Bowles, in the kitchen at Claridge's.
Scroll down for a little look at what else you'll find inside.
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‘The countryside has brought me peace’
Sir David Beckham tells Paula Minchin the story of his love for rural life, from the Scouts to helping youngsters get started in horticulture.
My favourite view
A quiet corner of Oxfordshire beguiles the guest editor and his daughter, Harper.
‘My darling project’
Thousands of children were saved by Thomas Coram’s Foundling Hospital in London. John Goodall recounts the tale of an invaluable charity.
The real universe is here
For our guest editor, a trip to the wilds, catching fish and cooking with Rvival, was life-affirming. Patrick Galbraith follows him to the Highlands.
My favourite painting
Monet’s misty 'Houses of Parliament' moves the London-born guest editor.
Firmly planted in the Cotswolds
From ruined barns beauty has grown: Alan Titchmarsh visits the Beckhams’ Oxfordshire garden, a peaceful haven for all the family.
Champions league
Julie Harding meets the countryside champions chosen by our guest editor.
A kiss from a daughter’s rose
For her father’s 50th birthday, Harper Beckham called upon David Austin Roses. Charles Quest-Ritson describes the work of creating a new rose.
Striking it Ritchie
Paula Minchin meets Guy Ritchie, the film director finally fulfilling his childhood dreams of rural life.
‘My football made me, my countryside saved me’
Gamekeeper’s son Vinnie Jones has found peace and purpose on the land.
Liver little
Tom Parker Bowles gets chopping to whip up the guest editor’s favourite meal.
Take a bough
Planting a mature tree is an epic undertaking, but is always transformative, says Steven Desmond.
‘There are cars and then there are Defenders’
They may be rattly and draughty, but nothing beats a proper Land Rover Defender, especially one that’s been imaginatively restored and modified.
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A country house that was the set for one of the best-loved sitcoms of the 1980s is for sale, with 40,000sq ft of space, 39 bedrooms and almost endless potentialLynford Hall, a vast neo-Jacobean house that's been everything from a country hotel to an agricultural college, has come to the market. Toby Keel tells its story.
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This bear welcomes you to the Country Life Quiz of the Day, November 4, 2025Put your mind to the test.
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This bear welcomes you to the Country Life Quiz of the Day, November 4, 2025
Put your mind to the test.
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Amelia Thomas: The woman who learned to talk to animalsAmelia Thomas, the real-life Dr Dolittle who spent years decoding how animals talk, joins James Fisher on the Country Life podcast.
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‘So many of us look at the world through our screens and forget to pay attention to the world outside’: Katy Hessel on the world’s great female artists, why free entry to museums matters and her consuming passionsThe author of ‘The Story of Art Without Men’ speaks to Lotte Brundle about the dangers of AI, how she fell in love with the art world and why it’s okay that her favourite painting is by a male artist.
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By what name is the shallow nest of the hare known? It's the Country Life Quiz of the Day, November 3, 2025It's Monday which means we're back with the first Country Life quiz of the week.
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'My family wore wool at a time when everyone else had cast it off in favour of manmade fabrics': The knitwear pioneer who is one of David Beckham's countryside championsJulie Harding speaks to Rachel Carvell-Spedding the founder of British knitwear brand Navygrey, and one of David Beckham's countryside champions.
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What is everyone talking about this week: Why we love period dramaObservers cite a need for escapism, but Will Hosie thinks there's more to our enduring love of a period drama.
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‘I’m not impressed by an Oxbridge education’: Author Jessie Burton on her acting ambitions, writing ‘The Miniaturist’ and her consuming passionsThe Sunday and New York Times bestselling author wrote her debut novel under her desk while temping as a PA for private equity companies. Lotte Brundle meets her.
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Guy Ritchie: 'My mother married an impoverished aristocrat with a knackered country pile. I've been chasing that dream ever since'The film maker opens up about his love for the countryside, and his friendship with Sir David Beckham.
