Downton Abbey star reveals Lady Mary’s new “social disgrace” in final outing
"I think that’s what people enjoy seeing – the highs and lows of these characters and what life throws at them."
The Crawley family are gearing up for one last outing in a third and final Downton Abbey film. If recent comments by Michelle Dockery are anything to go by, it won't go easy on the drama.
Set in the 1930s, Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale will follow the family as patriarch Robert Crawley (Hugh Bonneville) prepares to step down from leading the beloved estate and hand over the reins to his daughter, Lady Mary (Michelle Dockery).
However, as seen in the latest trailer, news of her divorce from Henry Talbot (Matthew Goode) soon throws her future as her father’s successor into jeopardy.
Speaking to Caroline Frost in an interview with Radio Times magazine, Dockery opened up about her character's new “social disgrace” in the upcoming film.
Asked about how she has evolved the role of Lady Mary, Dockery – who has played the character for 52 episodes across six seasons, and now three movies – said: "I feel like I’ve grown up with her. When I look back at those early episodes, I realise she’s become quite a different person."
She added: "She’s always been strong-willed but, back then, she was petty, quite like a grumpy teenager. Since then, she’s faced all sorts of things and, in this film, she’s facing social disgrace."
She continued: "I think that’s what people enjoy seeing – the highs and lows of these characters and what life throws at them."
The trailer also hints at financial trouble for the family as Robert appears to kiss his country estate goodbye, while a touching tribute is paid to the late Dame Maggie Smith, with a photo of her character, the Dowager Countess, appearing on the walls.
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Returning alongside Dockery and Bonneville for the third instalment are Dominic West, Elizabeth McGovern, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter, Phyllis Logan, Robert James-Collier, Joanne Froggatt, Allen Leech, Penelope Wilton and Lesley Nicol.
Michael Fox, Raquel Cassidy, Brendan Coyle, Kevin Doyle, Harry Hadden-Paton, Sophie McShera and Douglas Reith will also be returning, while new additions to the cast include Paul Giamatti, Joely Richardson, Alessandro Nivola, Simon Russell Beale and Arty Froushan.
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Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale will be released in UK cinemas on 12th September 2025. All seasons of Downton Abbey are available to stream on ITVX.
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Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
