Featured on the BBC documentary Modern Times: Welcome to Mayfair in February 2015, Manthe Penton Harrap tells her Twitter followers that she believes “health is wealth”. This truly eccentric lady is described elsewhere as a “nutritionist and party animal” and states that she was “born in Rhodesia in the 1970s civil war on a farm”. Penton Harrap “lives in a Mayfair pad in [the] week and [a] farm in West Sussex [at] weekends… with five ghosts, Felix, Matilda, Maud, Hatty (Harriet) and Ferdanand who are seen and heard by us and a variety of guests”. Aside from the commercial property expert Anthony Lorenz, she is most often in the company of her “favourite pet”, Sebastian, a South American green parrot. In her, we’ve most definitely discovered Mayfair’s answer to Parrot Man.
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Readers have their say
31 comments
The ‘Mayfair’ pad is either [EDITED FOR LEGAL REASONS], the accent is laughably fake. Bogus
The accent was so affectedly common. [EDITED].
I enjoyed watching her but I am concerned that she didn’t use her good voice to support the Find Madeleine campaign. A wealthy lady like Manthe ought to donate and speak up for dear Gerry and Kate McCann in their search for their beloved daughter. I hope she reads this and takes note. I loved her style by the way.
Thank you Gillian it was kind of you to watch, thank you for compliments. The McCann story is indeed a sad one. I feel for them and also for the other parents who are in same circs but with their stories not getting published. I have so far not donated to McCann campaign but will think about your request after some research. I prayed for them.
I donate ten percent of all income from my two businesses to church, have some standing orders to charities and help friends when needed (I am waiting to be super-rich and know how! before doing the dream I’ve had for about thirty years to have a home for abused children; we all have aspirations close to our heart and I see what is closest to yours and I sympathise to you if you have spent time, effort and money to no avail).
Your cause is worthy but takes time to speak up, which would involve a clever juggling act and one needs to think carefully about taking on something new.
On the spare time front I spent it already on a regular basis: feeding/handing out clothes to homeless people in Hyde Park, public speaking club, bridge, riding, opera, hosting friends who visit from overseas which is a constant stream, looking after Fuzzy Bear and Sebastian (he sends his best to you…chirrup) and biz dinners.
Thank you for highlighting this cause in public as it is important for us all to look outside ourselves to help the rest of the world in varying ways, the McCanns and others – easily forgotten in the fast-paced mayhem and whirl of the big metrop that so many of us are caught up in !
Those homeless people in Hyde Park must really enjoy being patronised by a woman who can’t even lower herself to the level of closing her own taxi door
Manthe was the worst and most fake of all residents featured on the [total waste of money] BBC documentary “Modern Times: Welcome to Mayfair”. What is the point of this woman? It infuriates me that such pretentious and brainless people should be glorified by being featured on a national television programme.
How’s about meeting? I’d be really interested in finding out more about you. :o)
I liked her. I thought she was classy, elegant and fun. Leave her alone. She has better taste than all of you I am sure.
Thank you Fiona and it was sporting of you to watch. x
Sebastian Penton Parrot sends you a kiss too and says he’s sure you’re lovely aswell, takes one to know one…
What an unpleasant vacuous woman. No eccentric would call themselves thus. A poseur, yes!
As other comments, a totally affected accent. She seems a very damaged individual
A classy woman does not prostitute herself to a man twice her age and live out her days as a decorative plaything.
by the way, hush hush, I’m forty-one but please don’t assume that Fuzzy Bear is eighty-two.
I think some of the comments posted here are very nasty, towards Manthe Penton Harrap. Is she the first woman in history with an older husband? No, of course not! My opinion is that she is a very elegant and highly intelligent lady.
Mayfair is like a village, and there are certainly some eccentric types, but all of them fascinating, in my humble opinion. Likewise, I thoroughly enjoyed the Modern Times, “Welcome to Mayfair” programme.
I detect a slight amount of begrudgery (and possible jealousy) by some of the negativity posted here.
What bile and vitriol towards you Manthe Penton Harrap but I shouldn’t worry, anyone reading your erudite and amusing replies will realise that it is your critics who should feel embarrassed.
The above only highlights your own charm, wit and humour and therein a failure on the part of your commentators. Who would be so rude and think it acceptable?
Eccentric,yes, affected, maybe a little. Fun, charming and attractive definitely.
I cannot believe how vitriolic some people are in this world. I doubt Manthe had control over what went into the programme either. I know from personal experience that these programmes are edited from hours of footage and what is included is often those bits that further the programme makers agenda.
Sorry it was only one hour not a series!
She had the right NOT to appear. Those who seek out/accept appearances in such programmes open themselves up to comment. Take it or leave it.
I think she is great and have watched the show 3 times, she is the sort of person that makes you laugh and I did a lot. Would love to bump into her in Mayfair and buy her a glass or two of Champagne.
I thought she was very nice and happy…..so there is nothing wrong with that is there…….
Manthe Penton Harrap is definitely bonkers but such a cute and happy bonkers!! When I first met her, I found her a challenge as she is odd.
Discovering her through the show I can understand the reactions of people stating her fake side.
However, don’t be comforted with this image because when I got to know her, I realised that she is a person full of charm and kindness with an authentic heart and refreshing accent which btw is consistent to how she is in normal daily life, whether that is fortunate or unfortunate for her and Fuzzy Bear!
She has her own intriguing but distinguished style and that’s what makes her different and interesting!
Manthe gives so much of her person to help others.
Sorry if she only expects a real gentleman to close the taxi door behind her…she is old-fashioned in every way.
On the subject of her Bear, is a man “old” if he has so much energy that not even Manthe can keep up with him? He works a sixty hour week and finds time to play three polo matches every weekend, hunts, runs the marathon, gym, etc. He used to fly a plane aswell as fitting all that in, in addition to a huge amount of time spent, as Chairman of Mayfair and St James’s Res Ass, helping the “village”.
Mayfair cannot live without such personality as Manthe and her lovely parrot Sebastian (the most intelligent bird I have ever known).
I thought Manthe was great! She’d make a great heroine in a steampunk novel.
Personally, as a peasant ;o) from one of the most deprived parts of London (Edmonton) I found Welcome to Mayfair a real eye-opener and was fascinated to see how its residents live. All the people in the programme seemed interesting in their different ways, and Manthe really stood out as a quirky and kindly soul. Keep up the good work, Manthe!
I think Manthe was hugely entertaining, and not afraid to be herself. I think she’s a true original, enterprising and eccentric, good sense of humour too – doesn’t take herself too seriously. Sadly, I don’t live in Mayfair, but Manthe was like a breath of fresh air in what we are often lead to believe is a classy but slightly stuffy enclave of London!
Andrew Lorenz is such a social climber. I expects he hunts south of the Thames….
We loved this here in New Zealand, but I worked in Mayfair in the 70s/80s and it was a great reminder of how much we miss the area, the architecture but most of all the people who make the area so interesting! Gooooo Manthe, keep being you. Shame there was only one made!
I think Mayfair Resident hit the nail on the head. What an irritating woman! There is nothing more embarrassing than an ****** [EDITED] taking on the persona of a giggly young girl. And, who on earth are the Penton Harridans anyway? Sound very Surrey, Hampshire borders to me.
I LIKE MANTHE
In today’s cynical and at times frightening world, I found Manthe & Sebastian really warm and fun, why do some people not see how lovely the interaction of Manthe and Sebastian, is, they obviously love each other, I think some people always see the bad in everything, I am a woman, who’s glass is half full.
Anybody who can make people feel good in lovely things like a wild parrot and a beautiful woman inside and out is making our world so much better.
I thought Manthe was rather inspirational actually. And incredibly beautiful.
I am afraid I found Manthe extremely irritating. She is not married to Anthony Lorenz, she simply lives with him . When the relationship ends, which it inevitably will, she will no longer reside in Mayfair.
It has ended now it seems.
I am sorry to hear I had the pleasure to meeting Manthe in a wonderful cigar shop Sautters a few times when she popped in with Anthony a few years ago and chatted to everyone in the shop and were always friendly, genuine and funnt. I found her to be a polite and generous person with a positive attitude, manners and kindness – each to their own, live and let live this is very much the Irish way at least in my culture. She is a very nice person, unique and different perhaps – so be it! Bravo to her and good luck to her.