Like so many ‘grown-up’ children across the country, Irene and Lydia Forte, the 30-something daughters of hotelier Sir Rocco, have returned home to spend lockdown with their parents.
But fortunately for the glamorous It Girls, going back to the family home doesn’t mean squeezing into the sole spare bedroom or negotiating space on the sofa.
For the Forte sisters, who are stalwarts of the London social scene and close friends of Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, have joined their parents in isolation at their sprawling 1,800-acre estate in Ripley, Surrey.
Indeed there is plenty of space for the whole family to bunker down together, with their brother, Charles Forte, friend Georgie Wright, Irene’s fiance Felix Winckler, Lydia’s husband, Dimitri and their 14-month-old son Johnny, also holed up at picturesque Ryde House Farm.
Snaps shared by Irene, Lydia and their mother, Lady Aliai, on Instagram reveal how the Fortes, are treating quarantine as a wholesome country retreat, scheduling time for family yoga and making the most of the spring sunshine by dining al fresco.
Sir Rocco Forte and his wife Lady Aliai are spending lockdown at stunning Ryde Farm in Ripley, Surrey, with their daughters Lydia (right) and Irene, son Charles, their respective partners, and Lydia’s 14-month-old son, Johnny. Left, Irene with fiance Felix Winckler
Lady Aliai offered a rare glimpse into the family home when she shared a video of husband Sir Rocco conducting a virtual board meeting last month after recovering from COVID-19
The easy-going schedule will no doubt come as a relief to Sir Rocco, who has recovered from COVID-19 after confirming he had tested positive for the virus last month.
His youngest daughter Irene also contracted the virus but it is not known whether any other family members have been affected.
Skincare entrepreneur Irene, who has an eponymous range of products and heads up ‘all things wellness/spa’ at her father’s hotel chain, has revealed how she is taking advantage of the lack of socialising to catch up on her beauty sleep.
‘Now that people aren’t going out in the evenings, this is a great opportunity to sleep more,’ she said in an interview with the Daily Telegraph. ‘You can dream about your next adventure.’
Snaps shared by Irene, Lydia and their mother on Instagram reveal how the Fortes, are treating quarantine as a wholesome country retreat, scheduling time for family yoga (pictured)
Irene shared this beautiful photograph from Easter lunch. Pictured, left to right, Felix Winckler, Irene’s fiance; Georgie Wright, thought to be Charles Forte’s girlfriend; Irene Fortel; Sir Rocco Forte; Aliai Forte; Charles Forte; Dimitri Chandris and his wife, Lydia Forte
The family has the advantage of an 1,800-acre estate to explore on their daily walks
She added: ‘I’ve also been boosting my wellbeing by doing things I haven’t had time to do in a while, like learning a language (I’m doing an online French class) and reading.’
The socialite, who is a close friend of Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, is also starting each day with a bit of exercise.
One photo shared on her Instagram Stories shows Irene, her fiance Felix Winckler, a technology entrepreneur, and sister Lydia, doing yoga in one of the country home’s large reception rooms.
Irene and Felix became engaged in January and were due to marry this year. It is not known whether their plans have been put on hold because of COVID-19.
Lydia shared this photograph of a mouth-watering cake whipped up by Charles and Georgia
Skincare entrepreneur Irene, who has an eponymous range of products, has revealed how she is taking advantage of the lack of socialising to catch up on her beauty sleep. Pictured, a photo shared by the Irene Forte Instagram thought to have been taken in the family home
Meanwhile Lydia, who is head of Food and Beverage at Rocco Forte Hotels, is being kept busy with her one-year-old son, Johnny, whom she shares with city banker husband Dimitri Chandris.
The couple married in September 2016, in a weekend extravaganza in Tuscany which involved a dinner in the town’s medieval cloisters prepared by a Michelin-starred chef and a feast at Lydia’s grandparents’ 12th-century Tuscan castle, followed by a fireworks display in the early hours.
Both sisters have shared snaps of their more publicity-shy younger brother, Charles, who is thought to have invited girlfriend Georgie Wright to stay during the lockdown.
The sun rises over a crisp country morning in an Instagram photo shared by Lydia last month
The pair showed off their culinary skills by whipping up mouth-watering desserts for the family to enjoy.
Sir Rocco has owned Ryde Farm for a number of years but has kept details of the property under wraps. Only a handful of photos have been published from within the estate.
However his wife Aliai did offer a glimpse at one of the rooms when she filmed her husband taking part in a virtual board meeting last month.