'There's so much pressure to get married at a certain age'- Clodagh McKenna offers a timely reminder that ‘everybody’s story is different’

Having celebrated her 50th birthday in style on 10th May, Clodagh McKenna has spoken out about the pressures people often face when it comes to finding "the one". She met her own husband Harry Herbert, whose family owns Highclere Castle (the real-life Downton Abbey) in 2017 when she was 42 and the couple married four years later at this historic home.

Their romance sounds like something out of a fairytale, and Clodagh has told the Irish Independent how important she thinks it is for people not to feel they have to get married by a specific point in their lives.

"There's so much pressure to get married at a certain age and do the things that everybody else does," she said. "And I think that it is important to write your own story because everybody's story is different."

Although it can sometimes feel like there’s a timescale of expectation when it comes to "settling-down" this isn’t something Clodagh subscribes to. Instead, she expressed the very relatable view that no matter what path your life takes, you deserve to be fully accepted.

The chef continued, "Everybody should just be accepted for their own journey and not feel pressured, because when you feel pressured, that's when you make the wrong decision."

Ultimately, when and, just as importantly, if you find someone you want to tie the knot with, this isn’t something that external pressures should influence. Sometimes closing your ears to these external factors can be tricky.

Clodagh revealed that she remembers to check in with herself to make sure that the decisions she’s making and things she’s doing are completely right for her. Really knowing yourself as a person helps when it comes to feeling content with your choices.

"I'm really comfortable with who I am and my upbringing, and I'm really proud of it. When you decide to go on your own path...I always check myself and that I'm doing what I want to do for my life. And I think that when you do that, and you know who you are as a person, that's a lovely place to be," she explained.

Clodagh McKenna met her now-husband Harry through mutual friends at a lunch - something he reportedly later described as a "sliding doors moment". She had previously been in a long-term relationship and he was separated from his wife of 25 years.

Harry proposed to Clodagh in 2020 on an autumn walk and, as per the Daily Mail, she "immediately" accepted.

"He seemed very nervous,’ she said. "I was thinking, ‘Oh Jesus, is there something wrong?’ Then we were out in the woods and he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. It was so lovely. I said yes immediately. I never thought I would get married, but I did."

In August the couple will celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary and Harry had a special role at his wife’s 50th birthday party. Posting on Instagram, Clodagh revealed he accompanied her friend and singer Imelda May on the piano.

This was a "dream" for Clodagh, who described Harry as her "everything". She’s living proof that forging your own path and avoiding pressures can lead to immense happiness.