People
What the people who matter in the Country Life world are up to, from the British Royal Family, tastemakers and craftspeople, to farmers, designers and artists.
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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.
By Paula Minchin Published
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Barbecue it like Beckham: The 'lamb man' who taught David Beckham about fire cookingTom Bray, is co-founder and director of Fire Made, a Somerset-based company specialising in outdoor cookery accessories and barbecues. He's also one of the countryside champions nominated by Sir David Beckham in his guest edit. Tom spoke to Julie Harding.
By Julie Harding Published
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A grand milestone: Country Life's Mark Hedges celebrates a record-breaking 1,000 issues as editor-in-chiefThe custodian of a 128-year-old British institution celebrated the milestone with a special edition guest edited by Sir David Beckham.
By John Goodall Published
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‘A significant number of the little blighters can add up, can’t it?’: Sophia Money Coutts on how much — or little — to spend on your godchildren’s Christmas presentsAs we ramp up to the festive season, our Modern Etiquette columnists answers our reader's most pressing questions.
By Sophia Money-Coutts Published
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'Seeing the work that people are doing all around the world has given me hope for the future': The young naturalist who is one of David Beckham's countryside championsJulie Harding speaks to Ramandeep Nijjar, a young naturalist who has made an impact on the world even before finishing university, and one of David Beckham's countryside champions.
By Julie Harding Published
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1,000 issues and counting: Editor-in-chief Mark Hedges on the Country Life PodcastMark Hedges has been editor of Country Life for 1,000 issues — and not far short of 20 years.
By James Fisher Published
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‘My football made me, my countryside saved me’: Vinnie Jones on going from the rough and tumble of the football pitch to the sanctuary of his West Sussex estateA return to the land has been a redemptive journey for the gamekeeper’s son and former tough midfielder Vinnie Jones, finds Mary Skipwith.
By Mary Skipwith Published
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Poppy Okotcha, the model turned gardener who is one of David Beckham's countryside championsPoppy Okotcha, the 29-year-old ecological community grower, garden content creator, author — and also one of David Beckham's countryside champions — speaks to Julie Harding.
By Julie Harding Published
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What is everyone talking about this week? How to be a patriotA British 'GQ' cover has sparked questions about how to be a patriot amid today's culture wars.
By Will Hosie Published
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‘In my twenties I was asked by a newspaper to test out an orgasm machine. I said, "Absolutely"’: Elizabeth Day on her early career in journalism and consuming passionsThe author and journalist chats to Lotte Brundle.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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Meet David Beckham's milliner, the man who's created hats using everything from flora and fauna, to car parts and bucketsBarnaby Horn, an award-winning hat-maker and visual artist who learned much of his craft at Highgrove in Gloucestershire, is one of Sir David Beckham's countryside champions. He spoke to Julie Harding.
By Julie Harding Published
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'Sir David Beckham came to see our cattle a couple of years ago. He was fascinated': The stockman at the Glympton EstateTrevor Kirk, a Scottish stockman who now tends the Aberdeen Angus herd on the Glympton Estate in Oxfordshire, is one of Sir David Beckham's rural heroes in the special guest-edited issue of the magazine. He spoke to Julie Harding.
By Julie Harding Published
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The David Beckham edition of the Country Life Quiz of the Day, October 22, 2025Icon of the football pitch, underwear adverts and the countryside — we celebrate our guest editor Sir David Beckham in today's quiz.
By Country Life Published
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Exclusive: Sir David Beckham's guest edit is out now — have a look insideThe October 22, 2025, issue of Country Life is out now and it's been edited by none other than Sir David Beckham.
By Rosie Paterson Last updated
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Stefan Pitman: Making great country houses cost less to heat than a suburban semiThe trailblazing architect Stefan Pitman — founder of SPASE — joins the Country Life Podcast.
By Toby Keel Published
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Dire Straits' bassist John Illsley reveals why he swapped the recording studio for the art studio — and his consuming passionsJohn Illsley rose to fame as the bassist of the Dire Straits, but nowadays you're more likely to find him in an art studio.
By Lotte Brundle Published
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The curious case of Cecil Beaton and Madame XWhen he noticed an uncanny resemblance between John Singer Sargent’s painting of Virginie Gautreau and a Cecil Beaton portrait of Leslie Caron, Patrick Monahan called on the Hollywood Golden Age actress to investigate.
By Patrick Monahan Published
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Sophia Money-Coutts: My family WhatsApp is already banging on about Christmas arrangements. Can I leave the group?Where are we spending Christmas? Who gets the best bedroom, and whose turn is it to cook?
By Sophia Money-Coutts Published
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The lives, wild parties and country houses of the Guinness family: Adrian Tinniswood on the Country Life PodcastThe writer and historian Adrian Tinniswood joins James Fisher on the Country Life Podcast.
By Toby Keel Published
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How good is your Claudia Winkleman trivia? Find out in The Country Life Quiz of the Day, October 13, 2025What secrets lurk beneath that fringe?
By Country Life Published
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‘One remembers not to give the Queen a thump of joyful friendliness’: Remembering Norman Parkinson — revolutionary fashion photographer and Cecil Beaton’s only homegrown rivalCecil Beaton might be the toast of London right now, with a new exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery, but contemporary Norman Parkinson was always hot on his heels.
By Robin Muir Published


