Fans pay up £40,000 for Downton life
FANS of television costume drama Downton Abbey have spent a collective £40,750 on a chance to sleep at the castle, take a lesson in butlering, setting a dinner table and to have their portrait painted.
Auction house Christie’s twoweek online sale of 12 items and “experiences” gave enthusiasts a chance to live like the Crawleys, the fictional family at the centre of the show, at Highclere House, the real-life Victorian castle used as the location for the drama series.
The Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning drama focuses on the family and their servants in the early 20th century.
“Every lot found a buyer. With Downton Abbey’s great popularity, interest in the auction was geographically diverse,” said Elizabeth Van Bergen, a Christie’s spokeswoman.
The top lot attracted a bid of £16,000 for an overnight stay in rooms used during the filming of the first season as the guests of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon, whose family seat is at the 175-year-old Highclere Castle, located in the rolling green countryside of Hampshire.
The visit includes cocktails, a three-course dinner and a traditional English breakfast in the state dining room, Ms Van Bergen said.
The charity auction, which began on 1 August and ended on Thursday, raised money for armed forces charities to support veterans and victims of war, Christie’s said.
Highclere is one of the few great country estates still occupied by the owners.