Lady Alice Manners has announced her engagement to longtime boyfriend Patrick Fordham, affectionately known as Patch. The 31-year-old daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Rutland shared the happy news on November 9, revealing photographs of a romantic countryside proposal and her diamond engagement ring. The announcement attracted congratulations from family members and prominent figures in British society.

Alice, who grew up at Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire, has generally kept her romantic relationships relatively private. Her engagement has brought renewed attention to Fordham, a technology entrepreneur whose professional interests include educational technology and digital business ventures.

Who Is Alice Manners’ Boyfriend Patrick Fordham?

Patrick Fordham is a British technology entrepreneur and the fiancé of Lady Alice Manners. He is commonly known by his nickname, Patch.

Fordham is the founder of CHIP IN and EPAT Entry, an educational technology platform. His professional work focuses on technology-based business projects and digital services.

Unlike Alice, whose aristocratic background and social activities have attracted media coverage, Fordham has maintained a comparatively low public profile.

Information about his age, parents, education and early career has not been extensively documented in mainstream reporting.

However, his relationship with Alice has become increasingly visible through their appearances together at social gatherings and family celebrations.

The couple’s engagement confirms that their relationship has developed beyond the relatively private romance they previously maintained.

How Did Alice Manners and Patrick Fordham Get Engaged?

Alice announced her engagement on November 9, 2026, sharing photographs of the proposal on Instagram.

The romantic occasion took place near the stables at her family’s ancestral home, Belvoir Castle.

According to Alice, Fordham arranged flowers along the driveway leading toward the stables before getting down on one knee.

The proposal nearly included an unexpected audience because Alice’s father, David Manners, had joined the couple for a dog walk.

Fordham reportedly persuaded the Duke to end his walk early, allowing the proposal to remain a private moment between the couple.

Alice later described the weekend as a particularly happy occasion spent with family.

Her engagement announcement included photographs of the couple together, her diamond ring and their shared interest in horses.

She captioned the photographs with a reference to horses, her ring and Patch, explaining that accepting his proposal had been an easy decision.

The countryside setting was especially meaningful because Alice has been involved in equestrian activities since childhood.

How Long Have Alice Manners and Patrick Fordham Been Together?

Alice Manners and Patrick Fordham have maintained a relatively discreet relationship, and the exact date they began dating has not been publicly confirmed.

Their romance became more widely noticed during Alice’s 30th birthday celebrations in 2025.

The event took place at Belvoir Castle and featured a Midsummer Night’s Dream theme.

Her mother, Emma Manners, later discussed the celebration and mentioned that Fordham had delivered a Shakespeare-inspired speech about love.

The gesture suggested that he had already become an important part of Alice’s personal life.

The couple subsequently appeared together during a holiday in Mauritius in March 2026.

Photographs from the trip showed them enjoying time together in the tropical destination.

Their engagement several months later marked a significant development in a relationship that had gradually become more public.

Who Was Alice Manners’ Previous Boyfriend Otis Ferry?

Before her relationship with Patrick Fordham, Alice Manners dated Otis Ferry, the son of British musician Bryan Ferry.

Otis is known for his involvement in hunting and countryside activities.

The couple reportedly lived together at Belvoir Castle during their relationship.

Their romance attracted attention because both came from families with recognizable connections to British society and entertainment.

However, Alice and Otis separated in 2022.

Neither has extensively discussed the reasons for their breakup in public.

Following their separation, Alice continued focusing on her modeling, writing and social activities.

Her subsequent relationship with Fordham remained comparatively private until their engagement announcement.

Who Are Alice Manners’ Parents?

Lady Alice Manners is the daughter of David Manners, 11th Duke of Rutland, and Emma Manners, Duchess of Rutland.

She grew up at Belvoir Castle, the family’s historic estate in Leicestershire.

The castle has been associated with the Manners family for centuries and remains one of Britain’s best-known aristocratic residences.

Alice is one of five children.

Her siblings are Lady Violet Manners, Lady Eliza Manners, Charles Manners, Marquess of Granby, and Lord Hugo Manners.

The family has attracted considerable public interest through its aristocratic heritage, charitable activities and involvement in maintaining Belvoir Castle.

Alice has also developed a professional career beyond her family background.

She works as a model and writer and presents the online series Dukie Tours alongside her father.

The programme explores historic locations and aspects of British heritage.

Alice Manners’ Family Celebrates Her Engagement

Alice’s engagement announcement prompted enthusiastic reactions from relatives and friends.

Her younger sister, Lady Eliza Manners, congratulated the couple on social media and jokingly welcomed Fordham into the family.

Lady Kitty Spencer also shared a congratulatory message.

The announcement followed another major family celebration, as Alice’s sister Lady Violet married William James Lindesay-Bethune, Viscount Garnock, at Belvoir Castle in June 2025.

The wedding brought together members of British aristocratic families and attracted considerable media attention.

Alice’s engagement has raised questions about whether she and Fordham might also choose Belvoir Castle as their wedding venue.

However, the couple have not publicly confirmed a wedding date or location.

What Is Known About Alice Manners’ Wedding Plans?

Alice Manners and Patrick Fordham are officially engaged, but detailed wedding arrangements have not been announced.

There is currently no confirmed information about the ceremony date, guest list or venue.

Given Alice’s family connections, a celebration at Belvoir Castle is a possibility, although this remains speculation.

The historic estate has hosted important family events, including Lady Violet’s wedding.

Alice’s engagement photographs suggest that the castle’s countryside setting holds personal significance for the couple.

For now, their public announcement has focused on the proposal rather than wedding preparations.

Alice Manners and Patrick Fordham’s Relationship Today

Lady Alice Manners is engaged to Patrick Fordham, the technology entrepreneur known as Patch.

Their relationship became publicly noticeable during her birthday celebrations in 2025 and continued through shared holidays and family gatherings.

The couple announced their engagement in November 2026 after Fordham proposed near the stables at Belvoir Castle.

Although Alice has previously dated Otis Ferry, her relationship with Ford