‘Castle Impossible’: Everything to Know About Daphne Reckert’s Family
Daphne Reckert and Ian Figueira announced in June that they are expecting their first child together. The married couple star on HGTV’s Castle Impossible, which made its mark when it premiered in 2025 and then returned for Season 2 earlier this year.
On the show, Daphne and Ian renovated a 500-year-old chateau in France. Daphne inherited the massive property from her grandfather. In Season 2, they focused on rebuilding and expanding the castle’s wedding and event business so they could use the profits to fund future renovations.
Daphne also learned she was pregnant in the second season, which means the family tree that made the show possible will be expanding. Below, we rounded up more to know about the family at the center of this series.
Since the chateau is a family establishment, we’re diving into Daphne’s family history. Scroll down for more.
Who is Daphne Reckert’s grandfather?
Daphne has not revealed the name of her grandfather, but she confirmed in a YouTube video that he bought the chateau in 1981 and is a “self-made entrepreneur who worked his way up in the travel industry, creating businesses and growing his wealth.”
He bought the chateau as somewhere to retire, but “quickly realized the chateau was not sustainable.” Rather than live there himself, he began renting it out for weddings and other events.
Daphne Reckert/YouTube
Because of the high inheritance tax, Daphne’s grandfather urged her to pursue her own interests, rather than worry about taking over the chateau. However, when his health began failing (more on that below), she moved to France to help oversee the chateau, and when he died, she learned it was in her name.
“There was a crippling inheritance tax I could not afford,” Daphne admitted. “I was faced with losing it all or finding the courage and preparing myself for a challenge, knowing very well I might fail.” Because Daphne saw the potential in the chateau, she decided to stick with making it sustainable again.
How did Daphne Reckert’s grandfather die?
Daphne’s grandfather died in November 2020. “The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 took a lot of lives, and my grandfather’s was one of them,” Daphne shared.
Prior to his death, he had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. “His livelihood was put into jeopardy,” Daphne admitted. “As my grandfather’s health started degrading, the management of the chateau became a huge burden, and it was getting neglected, so it wasn’t long before I was called and asked to move to France to help out.”
Who is Daphne Reckert’s grandmother?
After Daphne’s grandfather died, she and Ian moved in with her grandmother in Paris in 2021 while they worked to build the chateau business back up.
In 2022, Daphne and Ian were able to move back into the chateau, and Season 2 of Castle Impossible featured them restoring the property’s gatehouse so Daphne’s grandmother could live there.
In one episode, Daphne revealed that her grandparents got divorced after building a life together and having two children. “At some point, my grandmother decided she kind of needed to do her own thing and divorced her husband,” Daphne shared. “It really was with me coming to France in the summertime to spend time with my grandparents that they actually decided to spend time together again. It’s really sweet because by the end of my grandfather’s life, they didn’t rekindle their marriage, but they had a very deep friendship.”
Who are Daphne Reckert’s parents?
Daphne’s father is a painting contractor. She previously revealed that she painted for him in high school, and also learned stone artistry from him, per Action News Now. Her mother is an interior designer.
Does Daphne Reckert have siblings?
Daphne has a sister, Sabrina who appeared on Season 2 of Castle Impossible. The second season featured Daphne and Ian welcoming “special guests” to the chateau, including her father, sister and grandmother.
Sabrina is actually Daphne’s half-sister through her father’s new relationship. She was just 7 years old when she visited Daphne and Ian in France in 2026.
