Kit Harington Rescues Wife Rose Leslie's Ancestral Scottish Castle from Liquidation
The 'Game of Thrones' star provided a rescue loan to help save the historic Wardhill Castle in Aberdeenshire.
Actor Kit Harington has successfully intervened to prevent the financial collapse of his wife Rose Leslie's ancestral home, Wardhill Castle. Harington provided an emergency loan to the business operating the historic estate in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, which had faced liquidation.
New documents confirm that the liquidation proceedings have been halted permanently, a Scottish legal term known as a 'permanent sist,' lifting the immediate threat to the 801-acre property. The amount of Harington's contribution has not been disclosed. Rose Leslie's brother-in-law, William Wills, also provided funding.
Harington and Wills lent money to the business while it was in liquidation, using the estate's assets as security. This intervention marks a significant turnaround after liquidators were appointed in February when the business struggled to meet its financial obligations.
Wardhill Castle has been in Leslie's family for over 800 years, with its oldest parts dating back to the 14th century. Her brother William and his wife Sarah took over the estate in 2014 and initiated a refurbishment, transforming parts of it into holiday accommodation and opening the castle for events such as weddings and shooting parties. Sarah Leslie previously acknowledged the substantial costs associated with maintaining the historic property.
The estate gained wider public attention when it hosted the wedding reception for Kit Harington and Rose Leslie in June 2018. The couple, who met on the set of 'Game of Thrones' where they played Jon Snow and Ygritte, married at a nearby church before celebrating at Wardhill. Leslie has described Wardhill as 'the home I was incredibly happy in.'
This is not the first time Harington and Leslie have provided financial assistance to her family regarding their properties. Rose Leslie's father, Sebastian Leslie, previously lost possession of another Aberdeenshire property, Lickleyhead Castle, due to financial difficulties, with his daughter and son-in-law offering significant support at that time. Lickleyhead Castle is currently on the market for offers over £1.15 million.