Though she’s a woman of many accolades—a doctorate of finance and a former Real Housewife of Toronto among them—Ann Kaplan Mulholland’s vision of luxury had never stretched into fairytale territory. 

“I never dreamt of being a princess in a castle,” says Ann, who ironically wears a dainty crown in her hair during our interview. “I didn’t even want a prince—I just wanted someone who liked me.”

And yet, the interior-designer-turned-businesswoman couldn’t be closer to it. In 2023, Ann and her husband, Stephen, bought Lympne Castle in the quiet English town of Hythe. The empty nesters had just made the move from Toronto to England after their last child went off to university, a natural transition for the couple, who both have family roots in the U.K.

Just a 50-minute train ride southwest of London, the duo travelled to the countryside to view the 27,000-square-foot medieval castle on a whim after struggling to find an apartment in the city. “When our offer was accepted, we were both surprised,” says Ann, who purchased the property on the spot for £5.5 million pounds (it was later valued at over £40 million). 

In February 2023, Ann and her husband received the keys to the property, which houses not only the main castle with 20 rooms, but also cottages, restaurants, and event spaces. But their journey with the property was just beginning. “It was like buying a job,” she says, who had recently sold her fintech business in Toronto.

Floorboards were dilapidated, rotten wood home goods lined the upstairs rooms, and even the curtains had seen better days. The main floor of the castle—which the prior owners had used as a wedding venue—was in decent condition, but the 145-acre property was overall in need of some serious TLC.

Luckily, Ann had a vision—and a grand one at that. Thus, Queen of the Castle, a new laugh-out-loud CTV series documenting the reno, was born. 

In the first episode, the couple set out to open a dog-friendly bistro called The Naughty Dog. From introducing her vegan diet into a classic British pub menu to serving bar snacks in dog bowls, Ann's quirky signature style is infused into the entire project. 

“It’s very luxury with a wink of a sense of humour,” she says. 

The series showcases her working with the castle’s staff and contractors to get their feedback on the reno, and more often than not, talk them into her wild ideas. Throughout it all, humour keeps things light as they encounter setback upon setback for the multi-million-dollar project.  “We’re all in this together, so we definitely laugh a lot,” says Ann.

The team have had to contend with British heritage regulations around every corner (“You can have curtains but no curtain rod,” says the socialite), paving the way for a process that’s taken years and required a lot of trust on behalf of the local town. 

“I had a talk with myself when I understood that we could make an impact on the community,” says Ann. “I realized that owning this castle was now a responsibility.”

The castle employs over 100 staff, many of whom hail from the nearby villages of Hythe and Lympne. Before the Mulhollands bought the property, it had never been open to the public. These days, the castle is frequently the home base for community events, including medieval trivia nights and royal-themed activities for the kids.

Along the way, the castle has become more to the couple than just a retirement hobby or another house in their portfolio. “We love living life knowing that we’re a part of the community,” Ann shares. “It’s not just Stephen and I in a castle.”

Queen of the Castle premiers on CTV Life on March 26 at 8 p.m. EST and is available for streaming on Crave the following day. 
 

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