And what a charming, articulate and accomplished author the interviewee is. (I use to lick the prews myself) By coincidence I am reading "Debo's" memoirs now and definitely recommend it to any Mitford fans... such an incredible family!
“Duchess” is actually the correct term used by social equals to address her the first time in conversation. I’m assuming the interviewer knows her well.
She was a real Lady! RIP! Noblesse oblige is a French phrase literally meaning "nobility obliges". The Dictionnaire de l’Académie française defines it thus: ⁕Whoever claims to be noble must conduct himself nobly. ⁕ One must act in a fashion that conforms to one's position, and with the reputation that one has earned. The Oxford English Dictionary says that the term "suggests noble ancestry constrains to honorable behavior; privilege entails to responsibility." Being a noble meant that one had responsibilities to lead, manage and so on. One was not to simply spend one's time in idle pursuits.
Watched the 1st part of a BBC documentary on Chatsworth this evening.The estate has 700 staff so you can imagine how much revenue the estate must generate each year just to pay the staff before the other expenditure.
