For most people, an empty nest signals a time to downsize, take up hobbies, or perhaps travel. Restraint and relaxation are usually some of the operative words. For Ann Kaplan Mulholland? Not so much. For this dynamic Toronto dervish it meant purchasing a 500-year-old English castle and embarking on a massive restoration project—one that would soon become the centrepiece of a new CTV Life Channel docuseries, Queen of the Castle.
Kaplan Mulholland, a successful entrepreneur, television personality, and former star of The Real Housewives of Toronto, is no stranger to reinvention. But her latest adventure—leaving behind a successful career in finance and business, moving to England, and taking on a castle restoration—might be her boldest yet.
Kaplan Mulholland and her husband, Stephen, a former Toronto plastic surgeon, made their dramatic move shortly after their youngest son left for university.
“We literally dropped him off at school and moved the next day,” she recalls. With six children out of the house, a career transition for both spouses, and a desire for something new, the couple set their sights across the pond in Jolly Old England.
Their decision was partly motivated by family heritage—Kaplan Mulholland’s mother is English, and her husband’s parents are Irish. But there was also a deep-seated attraction to the challenge of owning a historic property. It might have had something to do with Kaplan Mulholland’s interest in tiaras. Who knows for sure. But what they didn’t anticipate was just how much work it would take.
“You buy a dream and end up with a job,” Kaplan Mulholland says with a laugh.
Owning a Grade I-listed building—the highest level of heritage protection in the UK—meant every alteration, from paint color to plumbing updates, required government approval. “We went to change a tap in one of the bathrooms, and it was attached to a lead pipe. That meant replacing entire plumbing systems, turning what should have been a small fix into a 60,000-pound expense.”
The restoration, chronicled on Queen of the Castle, proved even more daunting when they discovered major issues with electricity, drainage, and heating. Still, the couple persisted, embracing the unexpected chaos with a sense of humor and an entrepreneurial mindset.
Kaplan Mulholland’s experience in television—having hosted a number of makeover shows in Canada—made the idea of turning their castle renovation into a series a natural fit. However, it wasn’t about a TV show in the beginning. Indeed, the idea came about somewhat serendipitously. At first, she was approached about hosting a business-focused show on women entrepreneurs, but she wasn’t feeling the vibe.
“I’ve spent my career being accepted for my capabilities, not because I’m a woman,” she explains. So she balked at the idea.
Instead, she pitched a different concept—chronicling the adventure of restoring a castle. Soon after, a U.S. production company picked up the idea.
“We hadn’t even closed on the castle yet when we got the call,” she says. That same day, a property survey revealed extensive—and expensive—hidden problems. Kaplan Mulholland made a gutsy move: she renegotiated the purchase price, knocking off a million pounds. The deal was done, and the cameras started rolling.
What began as a personal project has now become a thriving business and a community hub. The castle now operates as a wedding venue, restaurant, and lodging destination, employing 100 people in a town of just 1,400 residents. The couple has even expanded their holdings, purchasing additional land to create a 145-acre estate.
“We’re not just restoring a building; we’re revitalizing a community,” Kaplan Mulholland says. “It’s chaotic, but it’s also heartwarming.”
Reflecting on her journey as a tiara-loving English castle owner, Kaplan Mulholland has no regrets. “Life isn’t over when your career shifts or your kids move out,” she says. Reinvention is always possible.
“We didn’t choose to go on a cruise or relax at home—we packed up and started something completely new,” she adds.
She hopes Queen of the Castle inspires audiences to embrace change and adventure, even if it doesn’t involve a 500-year-old estate.
“Maybe not everyone can buy a castle,” she says, “but everyone can choose to take a bold leap into the unknown.”
