Mark Hedges is photographed in his study at home with a handful of the 1,000 issues of Country Life that he has edited since he first became editor-in-chief of the magazine in March 2006. According to our own maths, this feat is unmatched in the glossy magazine world. This week — to mark this landmark — it seems appropriate to celebrate the treasure that ought to be found in every home.
As the only glossy weekly in British publishing today, producing 51 issues every year, the statistics that underlie the editor’s achievement over the past two decades are remarkable. More than four million hard copies of the magazine have been sold in that time and these have been collectively read about 30 million times. Over the course of Mark's editorship, Country Life has enjoyed 13 consecutive years of readership increases, a trend all the more remarkable because it is in contrast to the experience of nearly all other magazines.
Country Life has also been guest edited by The King and Queen, as well as The Princess Royal — and, of course, Sir David Beckham — whose respective issues have been among the best selling in the magazine’s nearly 130-year history.
Meanwhile, the much younger Country Life Online is growing rapidly and now receives more than one million visits every month. Most importantly of all, the magazine continues to cover, week by week, all that is best, most notable and beautiful about Britain, its countryside and its people.
You can hear from Hedges in his own words on the Country Life Podcast.
This feature originally appeared in the October 22, 2025 issue of Country Life. Click here for more information on how to subscribe.
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