About Us

The English Manner is a unique British-based company with associate offices in Toronto, New York, China and Dubai. Established in 2001 and incorporating over 80 years of collective experience in protocol, etiquette and private household & estate management. We have worked with the first internationally recognised luxury hotel in the Middle East, the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Group in the USA, Orient Express hotels, and the Four Seasons Hotel group to name a few of our corporate clients, putting together comprehensive assessment, training and mentoring programmes for management and staff.

Noted for our attention to detail, our private clients are spread across the age range, from young children learning social skills for the first time to relocating and aspiring business executives, company Chairmen who wish to brush up on much used but perhaps tired social skills, and international families who are setting up homes and households in unfamiliar territory, weighed down by the perception of foreign protocol and do's and don'ts.

Alexandra Messervy, the founder of The English Manner, began her career in the Royal Household of Her Majesty The Queen and our tutors are drawn from the very finest in their field. With many years experience in the luxury hospitality market, we are able to advise and consult with staff planning, operation practices and personalised training. We also offer premium search and recruiting services within the luxury hotel and residential markets.

The English Manner works with clients to reinforce long-standing traditions of manners with modern practices, to create standards of excellence which are second to none, beyond comparison with any rival, which exceed any expectation, and which set the standard to which others can only aspire.

Our private client list is strictly confidential and includes international entrepreneurs, families, VIPs and royalty in the UK, Middle East, Europe, Russia and North America.

Previously a consultant to the world famous finishing school, Lucie Clayton, Alexandra brings over 25 years experience in etiquette, protocol and event planning and began her career in the Royal Household of Her Majesty The Queen. Alexandra enhanced her entertaining and social skills development knowledge working latterly for other members of the Royal Family and on several well known charitable committees before founding The English Manner in 2001. During her career, she has regularly consulted with VIP residential households and hospitality clients in the areas of staffing, training, planning and management and is recognised for her attention to detail and exceptionally high standards.

Alexandra was invited to become a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts in 2001 in recognition of her contribution to education.

William joined The English Manner in 2008. He began teaching etiquette from an early age and has gained much experience in teaching manners and protocol to schools and businesses. He has worked with and advised large companies such as Bentley, Champagne Bollinger, Fox’s Biscuits, Green & Black's and the National Lottery. He has worked within VIP households and trained business professionals, schoolchildren, and diplomats alike. A perennial voice on the BBC, William comments on matters of taste and critiques social trends for a wide-range of media outlets including Tatler and the Financial Times. He has his own range of Etiquette apps and has contributed to several books, although is currently writing his own, for publication at the start of 2014.

William is the world’s only Guinness World Record holding etiquette expert.

Formerly a BBC newsreader, Diana brings years of first-rate communication and presentation skills. In the mid-eighties, Diana left her successful career in broadcasting to start training in etiquette and media coaching. In 2005 she was asked to devise a ‘finishing’ programme to improve manners for young ladies and a year later she introduced the first finishing school for gentleman, in Scotland. Diana works all over the world with a wide-range of clients that include MPs, senators, lawyers and TV presenters as well as organisations such as BT, Royal SunAlliance, BBC TV, health authorities and privatised utilities.

The English Manner, together with Diana's company Public Image, form 'The Etiquette Connection LLP'.

John joined forces with The English Manner in 2003 and has over ten years' experience developing and presenting business etiquette seminars. Combining a business education with professional household management certification, John delivers essential skills training along with his key message of business etiquette and protocol. Across the world from California to Dubai, John has taught service skills in five- and seven-star hotels and exclusive clubs, in private homes and aboard luxury yachts. Management consulting firms employ John's skills to groom candidates seeking career change as well as improving their own consultants' business etiquette skills. His work experience includes service as butler and house manager at the highest levels including two families on the Forbes 400 list as well as senior English aristocracy.

John received his formal protocol and etiquette training from The Protocol School of Washington and holds relevant university degrees. He has appeared as an etiquette expert on television and various publications have featured John's columns on trends and issues of etiquette. He is a long-standing member of Protocol and Diplomacy International - Protocol Officers Association and has been a featured speaker at its annual education forums.

Barbara comes to The English Manner straight from a senior position in the Royal Household's housekeeping department. She brings with her years of experience in first-rate housekeeping, cleaning and household management. Before she joined the Royal Household, Barbara was in the Communications division of Women's Royal Naval Service. Barbara has trained staff in laundry skills, cleaning techniques and care of antique furniture on some of the world's largest superyachts and in private houses.

A speaker of five languages, Angela Harwood (Countess Postiglione) tutors in cultural awareness, etiquette, effective English and elocution. She joined the United Nations at the early age of 21 and this began her interest in different cultures. Angela has lived in Geneva, Copenhagen, Vienna, Florence and Kuala Lumpur with her husband, a Director of the World Health Organisation with diplomatic status. She is CELTA qualified (Certificate of English Language Training to Adults) and was the Director of the Concord Programme at a tutorial college in Oxford. For many years she has prepared students from many different countries for British boarding schools and leading Universities, and now joins The English Manner as a consultant tutor.

Reena brings over 40 years' experience in household management and childcare development. Having managed and run private households of note for many years, she conducts skills training which is second to none and is noted for her exacting standards in all aspects of household and childcare, with particular emphasis on traditional housekeeping and nanny skills, perceived by many to be 'old-fashioned' but without doubt the backbone of the finest methods. Reena is President of the Yorkshire Countrywomen's Association.

Louisa joined The English Manner in 2010 as a certified Motivational Life Coach and has assisted many clients developing their clarity, confidence and communication skills. She has been running a highly successful design consultancy for the last 20 years, working with clients such as Porsche, Siemens and Olympus. The design process requires great listening, visualizing and communication skills all of which are transferable to the individual in designing a blueprint for positive living. When life can appear to us in shades of grey. Energy, motivation, passion, clarity - can all become depleted and suppressed. This is where you can use life coaching skills and strategies. Louisa’s 1:1 sessions are designed to provide practical, experienced, independent support, to help you see the wood for the trees whilst adding colour to the whole of your life.

Marketing director for the Barboursville vineyards in Virginia, USA. Jason has contributed to many media articles and television programmes, and is a columnist for 'Men's Health' magazine. He is contributing writer to Maxim, The Washingtonian and Virginia Living. Jason is the acclaimed author of 'The Modern Gentleman', and has worked with The English Manner for various international clients.

Ophelia joins The Etiquette Connection with over 10 years of marketing experience in a number of blue chip firms. Ophelia was brought up in a traditional Chinese family in Hong Kong and educated at a prestigious British boarding school. She has a Masters degree in Marketing Management. She is also the Director and Founder of Prestigious Education, an education consultancy firm, which is the sole agent of The Etiquette Connection for China and an official agent for the Manchester United Soccer Schools. In her role as Asia Marketing Director she now represents The Etiquette Connection to introduce Chinese and Asian clientele exclusively to the business.

Genie graduated with honours from the University of Maryland with a degree in Journalism, and began her career as a reporter for small newspapers on the remote Eastern Shore of Maryland. She began to work in the hospitality industry after moving to California for a time. She returned to the East Coast and established her firm as a small but highly successful company known for the quality of its services and personal attention to its clients. Under Genie’s leadership, Print Management has grown without losing its identity as a small but determined band of professionals. Print Management is a green company—all of its employees telecommute from home and this has given the business its unique character as a group of likeminded but independent individuals who share a common purpose. Genie works with The English Manner overseeing our US marketing and print-design.

The English Manner tutors are drawn from the finest in their fields. We work with only the best - from 'English as a Foreign Language' and world-leading hospitality etiquette tutors for corporate and private individuals and households to Royal vintners; the best florists; cordon-bleu trained cooks and award winning garden designers. Only the best will do.