A colourful lawyer is selling her Highland castle, claiming some locals are not ready for a transgender owner.

Samantha Kane, who likes to be called Lady Carbisdale, said “hurtful” remarks were made over her identity.

She is thought to be the only person in the UK to have changed gender three times, having been born a boy.

The barrister claims she spent millions of pounds restoring Carbisdale Castle in Sutherland to fulfil her dream of being a “princess in her own fairytale” after buying the 117-year-old onetime youth hostel two years ago. But she is selling the 19-bedroom property 42 miles north of Inverness, alleging that she has been picked on.

Ms Kane, 64, said: “It has been a labour of love mostly. But when people sit in their bedrooms writing on social media, they have to realise the effect that has on some people.

“I really have been quite hurt by comments on my gender identity so now I think it just needs someone ...‘normal’ to take over.

“It is such a special place but I did suffer some prejudice and I think probably the Highlands is not ready for a transgender owner of the castle.” The hilltop mansion with 29 acres and a loch is being sold by agents Strutt and Parker at a guide of £5million.

Ms Kane said there were “a lot of great people in the community” but added: “Comments on social media calling me a man and this and that, it really hurt me.”

The barrister intends to return to London and “put my wig on and go back and attend to my clients”.

She vowed: “I will not leave unless someone who will share my vision is going to make sure this castle will be cherished. It will be best served with someone else at the helm.” Her move follows local anger, and a visit from the police, last November over her proposals for land surrounding the castle.

She also tried to lodge a court order to stop pylons being built but the writ was ruled “incompetent”.

Recently she had been looking for “women leaders and their guests” to sign up to a health and beauty Duchess Club, offering the first 100 members a 50% discount of £5,000.

The mansion is 20 miles north of Ardross Castle where the hit BBC show Traitors is filmed.