10 things you didn’t know about Downton Abbey
1
In 1922, George Herbert, the Fifth Earl of Carnarvon and heir to the estate Downton Abbey is filmed on, Highclere Castle, helped discover the tomb of Egyptian pharaoh Tutankhamun. That’s why Downton’s dogs are named Pharaoh and Isis. 2
The Queen is a fan of the show, and even spotted a couple of errors while watching – she noted a soldier wearing medals in WWI that were actually awarded after WWII. 3
All of the scenes that depict the servants’ quarters are shot on a sound stage, rather than at Highclere, as the rooms are badly damaged.
4
Each episode of the show cost almost $2 million to make. 5
During the second season, the Abbey is turned into a convalescence house for soldiers – in real life, the Countess who lived at Highclere during the war turned the house into a hospital. Unlike Cora, who was most reluctant to help, the real Countess of Carnarvon offered her home enthusiastically. 6
In WWII, the house was a refuge for children evacuated out of London during the Blitz. 7
The costumes the actresses wore in the show were often genuine garments and were so delicate, they couldn’t be washed. The wardrobe department sewed patches under the armpits that were washed separately – but the cast admitted the clothes still didn’t smell very nice! 8
Gillian Anderson of The X-Files fame turned down the role of Cora, Countess of Grantham. 9
Elizabeth McGovern, who plays Cora, also sings in the band Sadie and the Hotheads, and sometimes Michelle Dockery, who plays Lady Mary, joins her for concerts. 10
The actors filmed around real antiques, including a mahogany desk and chair in the music room that belonged to Napoleon Bonaparte.