Summaries

Synopsis

Even as a child, Lord Edward Montagus life was more privileged than most aristocrats. At the age of two, he inherited Beaulieu (his familys 7,000-acre English estate) and a beautiful stately home known as Palace House. This estate had been in the family for over five centuries, and his one responsibility was to preserve it.

This task became even more difficult than imagined during the post-war depression of WWII that crippled most large estate owners finances. All across England, these historic houses were being purposefully demolished and burned to the ground. In a bold effort to save his home, Edward Montagu, then aged twenty-five, challenged aristocratic conventions and opened his home as a public tourist attraction in 1952. People were very intrigued by the life of the aristocracy and willing to pay to see what lay behind their secret walls. Very quickly, Beaulieu began generating revenue and Montagus heritage and estate seemed safe.

Later that same year, Edward Montagu was arrested for conspiracy to incite certain male persons to commit serious offences with male persons i.e. consensual homosexual offenses and became the focal point of a landmark trial known as The Montagu Case. As a high profile member of the House of Lords, his arrest attracted huge media attention in virulently anti-homosexual Britain, and Edwards once pristine reputation and promising career were all but ruined. Edward was found guilty and sentenced to a year in prison. His guilty verdict sent off shock waves and became the catalyst to overturn a centuries old law that would forever cement Edwards part in history in decriminalizing homosexuality.

Despite these catastrophic personal setbacks, Edward Montagu was determined not to let scandal define him. After his release from prison, he set his sights on saving Beaulieu from economic ruin.

To generate income, he created attractions at his home, most notably Britains first motor museum. This idea, combined with Edwards willingness to engage with the public, attracted huge numbers of visitors. Despite Edwards peers looking down upon his commercial ways and his familys privacy being invaded by tourists, he carried on and transformed his home into one of the most popular tourist attractions in all of England.

By 1959, Edward Montagu was attracting over half a million visitors to Beaulieu each year. Eventually, Beaulieu and its motor museum became known worldwide and were frequented by celebrities including: John Wayne, Roy Orbison, Mick Jagger, Cher and Michael Jackson. Edwards showmanship and success inspired a new breed of aristocracy to open their doors, and made Edward the face of a new type of British tourism, the stately home business. This business helped keep some of Englands most historic houses from being demolished, and made Lord Edward Montagu a national figure once again.

The film uses never-before-seen footage from the Montagu archives, commentary with his family, friends and fellow aristocrats including: Prince Michael of Kent, Sir Jackie Stewart, Nick Mason and the Duke of Devonshire along with intimate details from Edward Montagus own writings to tell the story of his unconventional and often controversial life.