Lord Mountbatten’s grandson Ashley Hicks’ majestic Milan apartment with partner Martina Mondadori

“Definitely not. When I was little, I just wanted to have a plain white house with a pink bedroom, like most of my friends did. Later, I experienced a kind of epiphany that led me to create a world that reflects my childhood one.”

“I’m an only child, and after my parents’ divorce, they both played a key role in my upbringing. My father taught me to follow my passions, while my mother taught me to keep my feet on the ground.

“Culture was a priority, and they passed that on to me in a big way. Wherever I went with either of them, we visited museums and churches and saw art and architecture.”

“My mother Paola loved to entertain. Renzo Mongiardino didn’t have a kitchen in his own house, so he came to eat with us at least once a week.”

“One night when I was seven or eight, my mother woke me up and said: ‘I want you to meet our special guest. This is something you’ll remember for the rest of your life.’

“So I went to stand in the hall and a few minutes later, I saw Rudolf Nureyev make his entrance. I’ll never forget his majestic bearing and poise. Superb!”

“We published the first edition of the magazine in 2014, but from the beginning, I knew I wanted to create something bigger – a whole realm of design. The first products went on sale online a year later and we launched our website in 2018.

“In celebration of my mother, who died in 2021, we’ve put a special focus on tableware. Our Christmas collection, created in collaboration with my friend [designer] Ulla Johnson, is inspired by our own seasonal family gatherings.”

“It feels as if I’ve known him all my life. We get on really well, I love his sense of humour and we love travelling together. He gave me so much emotional support when I lost my mother – I don’t know what I’d have done without him.”

“I suggested giving the dining room pride of place by putting it next to the entrance hall. And because I wanted echoes of Martina’s childhood home, there are sophisticated paint or fabric wall treatments.!

“One living room has a giant leaf pattern inspired by a 1520 silk kaftan from the Topkapi Palace Museum in Istanbul, hand-painted to look like carved plaster.

“In another, I glued hessian to the walls and then painted it with views of the Greek temples at Paestumnear Naples, inspired by Piranesi’s drawings. We did all this during the Covid-19 pandemic; it was a nice way of ‘travelling’ when we couldn’t actually leave home.”

“When I was young, he often told me: ‘ever heard of Mozart’s son’, which wasn’t exactly encouraging. His idea was that I should become an architect so I could help him with his projects. When in fact I did work with him briefly, it wasn’t easy for either of us.”

“Then, after his death in 1998, I began to revive his carpet and fabric designs and to publish a series of books on his life and work.

“He was right, of course, that Mozart’s son is not Mozart, and my character and style are very different from his. I’m more of an experimentalist, an enthusiastic amateur and really hands-on.”

“She gave me a strong moral code and sense of duty, and a huge love of books and history.”

“I adore all of it and really enjoy the variety. One week I could be photographing a historic house for a book I’m planning and the next painting a dining room in Milan with vintage views of Manhattan.”

“This place, of course. I had absolutely the best ‘client’ – and because I love Martina, it was a huge pleasure.

“She was very clear on what she wanted and had a small collection of beautiful and unusual objects and furniture given to her by her parents that helped set the ambience.”

“My grandfather was the absolute centre of our family. We spent holidays with him and every summer, he set his grandchildren challenges.“

“I was assigned to repaint the heraldic flag to fly at his castle in Ireland and to draw designs on his embroidered slippers. We used to go to Buckingham Palace to watch him take part in Trooping the Colour.”

“We enjoyed feeding carrots to the soldiers’ horses in the courtyard before joining the royals for a drink in the room behind the famous balcony where they wave to the crowds.

“I am proud of all my forebears, from my grandfather Mountbatten with his royal connections to my father’s middle-class parents in Essex. Bertie Hicks was a reckless and flamboyant businessman, married to Iris, an actress and amateur painter. All of them were fascinating characters.”

“I’m working on a collection of fabrics inspired by antique Italian designs dating from 1450 to 1750.

“I’m also redecorating the dining room in my Oxfordshire home, making it look like a courtyard inlaid with stone carvings in the same leaf pattern we have here – so that Martina will feel at home when she comes to stay.”