Downton uses royal recipe to tempt viewers and cast back
WHEN the cast of Downton Abbey disappeared from television screens at the end of its final series, they promised it would take something exceptional to lure them back.
That something, it appears, could be coming in the form of a little royal sparkle, as the Crawley family reunite for a new film under the monarch’s coat of arms.
Photographs from the set of the Downton Abbey film show Hugh Bonneville in character as Lord Grantham, appearing to be dressed in his uniform as the Lord Lieutenant of Yorkshire. To his left is a new addition to the cast played by Geraldine James, bearing a striking resemblance to Queen Mary.
Downton’s regal visitor is part of a trend that has seen television executves cash in on the popularity of the Royal family.
It comes in the wake of the success of Netflix series The Crown, which has won critical acclaim and viewers since the ITV drama disappeared from Sunday nights. Victoria, starring Jenna Coleman as the titular queen, has also seen the royal family, rather than more minor aristocracy, take centre stage.
The Downton film, written by Lord Fellowes, is understood to be set in the late Twenties, with characters including Dame Maggie Smith appearing no older than they were when the television series finished at Christmas 2015.
Footage and still photographs from the set in Lacock, Wiltshire, showed much-loved characters including Lady Mary, played by Michelle Dockery, Lady Edith, played by Laura Carmichael, and Cora, played by Elizabeth Mcgovern, returning to Downton.
New cast members include James, who starred in Jewel in the Crown, Band of Gold, and Imelda Staunton, the Olivier Award-winning actress who is married to Downton cast member Jim Carter. Neither of their characters have been confirmed. But observant fans noticed the royal coat of arms mounted prominently over the head of James’ character, who is dressed in a fur wrap, hat and high-necked dress and offered a far more ornate and comfortable seat than her companions, the Earl and Countess of Grantham.
Her costume is reminiscent of the style of Queen Mary, the husband of George V and the Queen’s grandmother, remembered for her strict devotion to duty and the maintenance of standards, as well as her splendid fashion sense, jewellery and corsets.
The creators of Downton Abbey have said little about the plot of the film, confirming only that it is in production and will be released in 2019. Sources working on Downton Abbey refused to confirm or deny whether the Royal family would feature in the plot, while a spokesman did not return a request for comment.